Watch Your Edge
by emmalia-aradeil
Summary: [Ice Skating AU] Mikasa's year is hardly going to be perfect. From Levi as her insufferable skating partner to the suspicious activity not uncommon in the skating world, she'll have to be sharp if she wants to keep her edge.
1. Chapter 1

A/N-For any non-skaters/ people who are not familiar with figure skating, at the bottom is a little "key" for some of the terms."

* * *

><p>"Next," the voice called. "Number three hundred forty seven."<p>

"Good luck," Eren whispered to Mikasa. "Not like you'll need it."

Three Queens boarding school, an elite Academy with an imposing reputation for molding inspiring skaters into champions. The entries were overflowing, with a minuscule 8% acceptance rate for skaters of her level.

"Welcome entry three hundred forty seven," a man with large eyebrows greeted Mikasa as she entered the ice. She slid into a proper tea stop in front of the judges, bowing slightly as she did so.

"Mikasa Ackerman," he looked up from her papers. "Junior skating level, tenth grade, and decorated with three gold on the junior regionals, three gold on junior sectionals, three gold on the junior nationals and two gold, one silver at the international Junior World Figure Skating Championships. And that is just a portion of your accolades I hear. Thank you for applying."

She nodded her head once, a rare, faint smile on her lips so not to seem hostile to the judge.

"Erwin Smith," he introduced himself to her. "Administrator and teacher here at Three Queens." She knew of him, as he was infamous in the skating world."May I ask, Ms. Ackerman, why you have remained on the junior level since you were thirteen?"

"Sir," she replied, "My family is a very important aspect of my life. I felt that because I was clearly advanced for my age, I should remain a junior in order for my brother to catch up.

"Interesting," Erwin said. He wasn't sure how to feel about her less than stellar answer. Her answer seemed to him a lack of determination, but knew he needed to continue her trial. "We will play the track for the short program you selected, then please exit the ice."

A melody started to play in the background, signaling Mikasa to begin. She accelerated on the ice, gliding on it with a series of twists and turns. She never did show emotion, but when she was on the ice she felt something inside of her. It was warm, growing internally before finely trickling out onto the surface. If anybody studied her closely, they would notice the ardor in her. Even if the skill she was performing was rudimentary, she executed it flawlessly.

At her home town, she was known as a prodigy. By now, she could have easily made it into the senior level, but instead waited for her brother to qualify. They scorned her for devoting herself to him, tying her wings and waiting to take off until he could fly too.

Indentations coated the ice she skated, performing backwards crossovers to prepare for a double lutz. She soared through the air, spinning around with inexorable grace. She landed cleanly on her foot, holding her arched back position.

From the stands Levi stood, watching the black haired girl with great intent. He had never seen such flawless execution from a skater other than himself, not to mention she was a level below him. He grudgingly agreed with the judge's nods of approval, but kept his supercilious look plastered on his face.

The song ended, and Mikasa spun out of a scratch spin into her final position. As she held her pose, she locked eyes with a small man watching from the sidelines. His eyes were gray, dark grey, like that of steel. She felt instant distaste in her mouth, but kept her expression neutral so not to alert the judges of this exchange. _Levi,_ she thought. _I didn't know a skater like him would attend a school like this._ She knew him because of his current record, the only male skater never to place below bronze in his whole career. _Similar to my record, _she thought, t_he only female skater whose never placed below bronze in her entire career. _Turning away, she bowed before the judges again. They excused her, all the judges smiling slightly.

"I think its clear," Erwin said. "Definite pass."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Mikasa," Eren yelled after her sister. "Help me with the rest of my stuff!"

"Eren," she stated calmly, "You really didn't need to bring all of your video games with you. This is an intense school, and they'll won't hesitate to kick you out if you don't perform well."

When Mikasa's acceptance letter arrived in the mail, she had opened it calmly, hoping to see Eren receive one as well. She had fingered the smooth paper, reading it as she processed what was said in the note.

_A boarding schoo_l, she thought as she stared at the imposing building, jarring her out of her thoughts.

It was surrounded by wrought iron gates, a large sign broadcasting that this school was the Three Queens Academy. Students milled about the lush grounds, some dressed in the team uniform, others simply in the dress code.

"So you're in the top class, huh?" he asked Mikasa. "I thought only senior level skaters could get in." Unlike formal schools, the classes for ice skating were divided by skill level as opposed to grade level. "A single junior in a senior's class. Sounds poetic, huh?"

"This is were were part," Mikasa interrupted him as they stood in front of her dorm. She held her final bag in her hand, internally smiling at the fact Eren most likely had three more trips to the car.

"Aw, you really should help me," he exclaimed.

She ignored him, walking away. "After you unpack Mom and Dad told us to meet them by the entrance before they leave."

""Okay," he called after her. "You're a big meanie though. You won't help me with my stuff!"

"Mature," she muttered back to him. "Fine, maybe I'll help you." She knew she really ought to cease helping him with every little thing, but how could she? Eren needed her and being there for him was the least she could do after...

_After that happened _

She opened the glass door to the dorm building, hauling her final duffel bag behind her. She walked up three flights of stairs before entering her room. Room 10C was written in gold lettering across the door, reminding her of how much money the school owned. She pushed open the metal doorknob, sighing in relief as she set it down.

Her roommate hadn't arrived yet, leaving Mikasa the choice of which bed she wanted. It was a simple room, with two beds on either side of the wall and two night stands on their sides. A small door on the left held their closet, while the door on the right lead to their bathroom. A long L shaped desk sat in the corner of the wall the door was on, with an ivory bookcase against the other. It suited their minimal needs comfortably, with a common area and kitchen on the first floor, giving the occupants more space to live.

The door clicked, alerting Mikasa of somebody entering her room. She spun around, greeted by a new face.

She was small, with a lithe body toned from skating. Her large nose filled most of her face, regal looking and unconventionally pretty. Her blond hair surrounded her large, heavily lidded crystal blue eyes.

"Annie Leonhardt," she said in a monotone voice.

"Mikasa Ackerman. I'm assuming you're my roommate?" she asked.

"Yes."

A tense silence followed, before Mikasa asked, "Annie, do you want the left or right bed?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-

Eren lounged in his dorm located on the other side of the large campus. Him and his roommate had already come into concordance, sharing skating tips and studying tricks. He learned that his roommate, Armin, was quite cerebral. His knowledge in skating was mainly on technique, and his grades were extremely high.

"I got a scholarship here because the school needs to make sure that its student's grades are high. I admit I'm not a remarkable skater, but I'm an example during open houses and such of how the students here achieve high grades," Armin said.

"Oh," Eren said. "What level do you skate on?"

"I'm only a juvenile skater," he admitted. "So I'm in the bottom class for skating."

"Do your best," Eren told him. He knew that to pass admissions you needed to be at least on juvenile level when you enter high school.

"I will," he pumped his fist, smiling slightly. "Its my second year, so I'll be prepared. At least I'm out of danger, because I'm only a juvenile."

"What?" Eren inquired, wondering what 'danger' Armin was speaking of.

"Do you know about Petra Ral?" Armin asked him.

Eren nodded. He was familiar with the senior level skater who was decorated with many international accomplishments. "What happened to her?"

"She was at the regional senior championships, and during her warm up she collided with a skater from Titan Academy. It fractured her spinal chord and she's been out for seven weeks now, although she was reaccepted into Three Queens this year despite not being able to skate. Some sources say it was intentional, while others say it wasn't. But of course there is always speculation."

"Oh," Eren replied. He heard of the cut throat school, Mikasa and he were thinking about going there instead. They were longtime rivals with the Three Queens school, with bitter history going far back."

"She used to practice pair skating with Levi."

"Levi?" Eren asked. "That guy is a legend. I really look up to him."

"He is," Armin agreed. "He's looking for a new pair partner because she's out." Armin glanced at the watch on his wrist. "Damn, its already five," he said. "The opening ceremony already started!" His eyes widened in sudden realization.

The two sprinted out of their dorm, noticing the stillness of the entire campus. _Everybody is definitely already in the auditorium_, Eren thought.

"We're here," Armin said, looking at his watch once again. "Good, only eight minutes late."

They tiptoed into the room, trying to be as discreet as possible. A blonde man stood at the front, flanked by a brunette man and a tall, bald man.

"The classes here," the blonde man, Erwin, the administrator, continued his speech. "Are from six in the morning to eight at night, running from Mondays to Fridays. You all have schedules, but I will go over it now as well. You will meet off ice with your ice skating class at six, and stretch for thirty minutes. After that you will have one hour of free ice time, so use it wisely. Official classes start at nine, giving you time to change out of your skating clothing into the mandatory dress code. Any questions so far?" He surveyed the room, judging to see if everybody understood.

"There's Mikasa," Eren whispered to Armin, pointing her out. She was sitting closer to the front, her dark scarf tied around her neck. "My sister." Armin nodded slightly, turning his attention back to Erwin

"From nine to three you will have ordinary classes, such as math and science, with a break for lunch. You will have an hour of free time before your ice classes. Beginning at four you have your practice with your class, which ends at eight o'clock. You may be practicing off ice or choreographing instead of skating. Then your day is finished, and you should begin your homework."

"Sounds packed," Eren whispered to Armin.

"It is."

"On Saturdays your schedules will change from student to student. If you are accepted into the competition team for any discipline, you will most likely have an all day practice. If you signed up for private sessions, you will take them then. Sundays are your free days, but we will also hold school events such as homecoming or field days then. Any questions?"

"The room was silent, most likely from being captivated by this man. His voice was loud but not booming, confident but not prideful. It would almost be fit to say he spoke in a mellifluous manner, if the term were not so gentle.

"As you all know Three Queens school is one of the only schools to not only support, but require their students to study at least two disciplines. There will be multiple competing teams, so if you do not get through in the first try outs, there is still another chance. Good luck with your year."

Mikasa sat quietly in the crowd, consuming all of the information he feed her. The schedule seemed easier than she had expected, but still vigorous enough to keep her engaged.

The assembly concluded quickly, much to her relief. She disliked sitting so close to so many people, preferring her own personal space. Striding out the room, the person in front of her stopped abruptly.

She collided with the small body, pushing him forward several steps.

"What are you doing brat?" the boy in front of her snipped. He turned around, facing Mikasa. "Tch, its you."

Grey eyes bored into her black ones, recalling their earlier encounter during her tryouts.

"Levi," she recognized him immediately. Whenever she would view the national senior champions he was always competing. She had praised him for his flawless execution, artistry, and lines, but upon meeting him her blood boiled.

"Another fan girl," he scoffed.

"As if," she retorted back, a calm edge in her voice.

"What's your problem?" he asked her.

"My problem?" she replied. "I never had one with you. It's you picking all of these fights! As soon as we locked eyes as at my try outs, which by the way, you weren't supposed to be at, you looked at me with that stuck-up face of yours."

"I'm allowed to be at your tryouts because I'm the captain of the school's competing team."

_Crap_, she thought, _picking a fight with not only a record holder, but the captain of the team!_

"By the way brat," he said before he walked away. "Your double lutz-triple toe pick combination was off. You left off of the inside edge when you took off of your lutz, and you under-rotated it too."

"I never asked you," she said. "I don't make mistakes in simple jumps like those. My performance was not bad."

"Simple?" he scoffed. "Your performance was fucking terrible."

"Levi!" a voice interrupted. "What did I tell you about your mouth." It was Erwin, striding up behind her.

"Tch," Levi scoffed.

* * *

><p>AN- I hope you enjoyed! Here is the little reference I was talking about. Reviews are always appreciated!

Inside edge - skating with more weight on the inside of blade blade (the left side on the right foot or the right of the left)

Outside edge - skating with more weight on the outside of the blade (o osite of above)

Balanced edge - when the weight is evenly distributed

The six jumps counted as "jump elements" listed in order of easiest to hardiest (All jumps land on back outside edge)

Toe Loop - a jump that takes off after skating backwards on an outside edge and digging the toe into the ice for power (also known as a toe jump)

Salchow - a jump that takes off going backwards on the back inside edge

Loop - same as a salchow, but taking off on the outside edge

Flip - a toe jump that takes off going backwards on an inside edge

Lutz - a toe jump that takes off going backwards on an outside edge

Axel - a jum that takes off going forward on an outside edge (most difficult because to perform a "single" turn, you actually need to spin 1 and 1/2 times around instead of just 1.)

Levels of Skating, from easiest to hardest, with whose on what level on each

Levels not accepted at Three Queens:

Pre-preliminary

Preliminary

Pre-juvenile

Levels that are accepted:

Juvenile (Armin, most middle schoolers)

Intermediate (most 8th and 9th graders)

Novice (Marco, Krista Historia, Connie, Sasha and most 9th and 10th graders)

Junior (Mikasa ((although on senior level)), Eren, Jean, Ymir ((although on senior level)) and most common level to be on in 11th and 12th grade)

Senior (All of the teachers, Levi, etra, Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt, rest of the senior members of the Survery Corps)

There will be more "terms" in the next chapter! Please review, it would be extremely helpful.


	2. Chapter 2

It was early on Monday morning when Mikasa awoke. Annie, unlike Mikasa, was bedraggled with a rather scruffy appearance. The duo, who had come to accept the rigidness between them, nodded court hellos as they left their dorm together. Both wore soft zip up track suits to shelter their skin from the cold fall air.

Mikasa's tall stature towered over Annie's, a stark contrast between the two. The differences continued; an innumerable amount that made them quite a pair to look at.

Mikasa was dark, with a sheet of black silk for hair, and black-gray galaxies for eyes. Annie was lighter, but not bright, with thin tendrils of woven gold and cold, sun freezing eyes.

What united them together was the indifferent attitude they both carried. Neither cared, and if they did the never showed it. They realized how twisted and sinister the world of ice skating was. Competitors were all to willing to betray a comrade to climb to the top of the ladder, carrying a heavy burden of anguish on their shoulders.

"We're here," Mikasa said as they entered the building. It was numbered thirty four, most likely the thirty fourth rink out of one hundred, Mikasa assumed. Annie was also a highly skilled skater, qualifying for seniors at her ripe age of sixteen.

She checked her time, making sure they were punctual. Her clock read five fifty eight, so they were just early.

"You?" a monotone voice called. "What is a junior skater like you doing in the top class?"

They were addressing Mikasa most likely, unless another junior had made it into the class.

"I hear other senior skaters were omitted from this class, so why the fuck are you here?"

"Levi!" a little yelp followed his brash statement. "Sorry about him. I'm Petra Ral." The girl stuck out a hand for Mikasa to shake, only to lower it as she quickly realized Mikasa was not going to accept.

"Mikasa Ackerman," she replied, walking past the auburn haired girl. A frown etched on her face, wondering why Mikasa was in such a horrendous mood so early. She sighed, deciding to allow it to roll off her shoulder.

The room was filled with the few select skaters, all lined up and stretching. Mikasa gently placed her bag on the floor next to a mirrored wall, unzipping her track jacket to reveal a basic skate leotard and leg warmers.

"Fix your stuff, brat," a voice called from behind her as she started her basic stretches. "Its so damn messy, you didn't even properly fold your track suit."

"Shut up chibi," she ignored him. "I'm positive I know how to fold."

Suddenly, she felt her back pressed against the mirrored wall, a dark, menacing glare on Levi's face. He placed one hand on the left side of her head, the other with his forearm pressing into the mirror.

"Do not ever insult my height, newbie." He pressed firmer into her, attempting to intimidate the tall girl. It was close to impossible though, as he only came up to the bridge of her nose.

"You're not scary," she said calmly. "I know most female skaters are lean muscle, but I do wrestle, so I have more strength than you. If you threaten me again I will not hesitate to throw you."

"Tch," he said. "You talk big for a junior skater. Need I remind you, I'm an upperclassman, sophomore."

"You don't look like one, asshole."

A virulent silence hung in the air, neither of them moving. To an onlooker who wasn't aware of the situation, it could easily be misinterpreted for something other than a hostile confrontation.

"Get off of me," she growled.

"Gladly, I don't want your filthy body near mine anyway."

With one last rancorous gaze, he pushed himself away and strode to the opposite wall.

Mikasa screamed internally. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was stoic, unemotional, and calm. She wasn't one to take bait or lose her temper so easily. She felt it was justified in an average human's case, but in hers it was unacceptable. _You cannot let a little boy get in the way of your career,_ she scolded herself.

It was troubling how easily he pulled on her inaccessible strings, yet he moved her temper around like she was his own puppet. It disgusted her how lethal it was for her to allow him to slip through her fortress, but whatever move she made to block him out failed.

"Ackerman," a new voice called to her. It was deep, with a comfortable sound resonating though it. "Reiner Braun, nice to meet you."

"Hm," she said.

"I saw some of your performance during the application, and want to tell you your form for your camel spin is amazing."

"Okay," she said. A feeling of pride swelled in her, but she pushed it back down. She didn't want to mix her outward emotions with her goal.

Mikasa knew she was deeply devoted to her family, especially Eren. If in the past, somebody asked Mikasa what she wanted to achieve in life, she would have answered to protect her family. Fifteen years into her life and the lines hadn't even began to blur. She never felt her own needs and wants rush to the surface, her feelings never overruling her familial devotion.

Before she knew it, her stretching time was up, leaving her with her hour of free skate. She was lacing up her boots as Erwin skated by.

Proud and statuesque, he stood in the middle of the ice rink.

"Class 1S," he addressed them. "I'm Erwin Smith, three time olympic medalist and Japan's two time senior champion. I'll be personally training each one of you, shaping you to become your best. This class lesson I will be observing to see each of your skills and talents. As I said during the assembly, each of you are taking a second additional discipline to your singles skating. You have all chosen pair skating, correct?"

The class all nodded. "Good." Erwin stated, "As you can see, because of Petra's injury, our class has one extra male. Annie and Mikasa,one of you will practice with two partners. I believe you know that there is the 2S class. They will join us during some practices, but due to ice space we had to keep you separate. Lastly, during this free skate session I will watch to see whose skating styles will work well together. Your time begins now."

Mikasa finished lacing her boots and stepped onto the ice, revering the feeling of skating. She knew her goal for today; landing a triple axel-triple toe combination. She warmed up, doing forwards and backwards crossovers around the rink. While she was doing this she observed her fellow class men with a keen eye.

Annie was a quintessential skater, with a perfect jump form and landing. She spun around in a scratch spin, her body perfectly rigid. Her technique was sheer beauty, but she lacked artistry in her lines.

Reiner was a powerhouse, his moves focusing on the crowd pleasing ones as apposed to the ones that racked up points. His specialty was obviously the spins, as he used his large mass to accelerate quicker than Mikasa could imagine doing.

Bertholdt was a gentle, graceful skater. His tall stature spread over the ice as smooth as butter. He would be a good pair partner, Mikasa decided, hoping she would be paired with him. Their large heights would compliment each other. and she was sure he would be strong enough to hold all of her muscle mass.

Levi whizzed past her, making her thoughts come to a complete stand still.

If anybody could hear her thoughts, she would mortified.

He was perfect. Absolutely perfect. She shook her head quickly in denial. There is no way his form and artistry is that good. She repudiated the very thought, but couldn't help notice as he landed a triple axel-triple toe combination. The very same one she was working on toady.

His left leg was held up in the air, a swooping arc that was so captivating. His arms were extended to hold his balance, cutting through the air cleanly. As he made a mohawk turn he caught Mikasa's lingering eye, smirking at her dazed expression.

"Ackerman, don't stand with your mouth open. You might catch flies. They always are drawn to trash after all."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"He is annoying," Mikasa snarked to her brother Eren.

"Calm down," he told her, pushing his empty tray of food away. "He can't be that bad!"

"Sorry to tell you, but your idol is a jerk."

Eren sighed, taking a sip of his water. "Are you going to eat those?" he questioned, averting his energy on something else.

"Take them," she pushed the remainder of her chicken towards him.

"You're always cold, so maybe he doesn't like that?"

"Cold," she snorted. "He is the definition of cold."

"Mikasa, can I have your potatoes?" Sasha called from the other side of her. She and her close friend Connie sat with them, Armin at the end of the table studying away.

"No," Mikasa said, putting the remainder of her potatoes in the trash can. Sasha looked flabbergasted, whimpering about the poor food going to waste. Connie nervously patted her head, a feeble attempt to comfort her.

"We have our free hour now," Eren said, "could you help me with my double axel?"

She sighed, looking at her little brother. She had originally planned to use their free hour after lunch to sleep, but she agreed somewhat reluctantly.

"Sure, meet me at rink thirty four."

"Thank Mikasa," Eren hugged her. "I'm totally landing it today!"

"Okay Eren," she agreed as she picked up her bag. "I'll be right back. I'm going to drop my stuff off at the dorm and get changed."

She walked away, sprinting across the campus for the extra exercise. Annie was in their room when she got there, sitting on her bed and watching a tape. Her gaze was intense, burning into the screen with passion, anger, and love. It was a contradicting stare the Mikasa had never seen before. On Annie's screen was a man, skating across the ice. Mikasa wanted to inquire who it was, but decided to leave it for now. She had agreed to meet Eren, and didn't feel like putting up with his whining if she were late.

Fifteen minutes later, she and Eren were walking into the rink together.

"Is this rink rather far from your skating classes?" she asked him. "This is where my classes are held, but what about you? Will you make it to class on time? I don't want you to get in trouble of lateness."

"Mikasa," he sighed exasperated, "you doubt my sprinting skills."

"Fine," she said. They finished putting on their skates and stepped onto the rink.

It was quiet other than the small scratching noise of another skater. It was Levi, spinning around in circles. Petra stood in the bleachers, calling out commands to him.

"Levi!" her voice called, "you're forgetting to support your wrists during your spins." Instead of snorting back at her, he nodded solemnly and repeated his sit spin. Mikasa gaped. She was surprised this woman had so much influence over Levi.

"Levi!" Eren called, skating over to him. "Wow, its actually you!"

"Eren," Mikasa muttered under her breath, cursing her brother at his amicable nature.

Levi said nothing to Eren, instead looking right past him to say to Mikasa, "bringing your boyfriend along, huh?"

"Idiot," she said, noting Eren't mortified expression. "This is my brother."

"Oh, thats right. I forgot dirty people like you couldn't get a boyfriend."

She grit her teeth but skated away, pulling Eren along with her.

"Eren, let's see your axel first." He nodded at her command, skating forward. He pushed off the ground, keeping his body too open as he spun. He landed gracefully, but the start up was messy.

"You did a delayed axel. Close your body more during the ascent of your jump, and make sure to bring your arms in. You almost under rotated that one."

"What a nit pick you are," Levi called from the other side of the rink. She glared at him once, before returning to help Eren.

"I am not," she protested.

"If I wanted to help my dear little brother I would do it differently," Levi said. "I highly doubt he has enough muscle mass to land an axel."

"You," Mikasa glowered at him.

"Listen up brat," Levi then directed his words towards her attentive younger brother. "Go to the fucking weight room."

"Yes sir!" Eren remarked, enthralled that his idol had taken notice of him.

For Mikasa, however, that was the last straw. Eren was her sole responsibility and pride, and for him to intrude on her time with him was indefensible.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

Levi sighed as he sat in his bedroom after practice. Who was she?

Her hair was black, kept shorter than most girls he knew. She never wore it up during practice, an unusual thing for a figure skater to do. She was beautiful, although he admitted it rather reluctantly. She was tall, statuesque, and handsome. She towered over other women in figure skating, a whole head above the rest, both in height and skill. Her skin was pale and delicate, not a single scar on her face. The thinnest wisps of hair would always splay across her skin, contrasting the dark hair to her porcelain complexion.

When she skated, it took his breath away. He felt it was a involuntary idea when he first saw her. She was only a junior skater after all, and he had seen senior skaters perform. War raged within himself as he remembered the jump she had landed earlier during practice. A quadruple flip, one of the hardest jumps even Erwin had omitted him from attempting, due to the danger of it. It was flawless, executed perfectly. When she landed it her face stayed gentle as if she had not exerted a great task onto her body, her features gently satisfied.

When she spun it resembled the way his head felt. It was dizzying, confusing, yet at the same time brilliant. She would whisk through the air, her back perfectly arched no matter what spin form she was holding.

Her complex footwork reminded him of their banters. Underlying messages were held in each and every one of them. Why did she anger him so much? He was aware it was all his fault, as he was the first to treat her harshly. Whenever she talked it irritated him, her monotone voice droning as a background fly.

He felt strong feelings for her. It hit him like a storm, a scream that could not be ignored. He only knew her for a mere three days now, but felt an emotion unlike any he had felt before.

Pure hatred.

Sometimes people say when you meet somebody of importance in your life, it will come naturally, quietly, discreetly. Levi disagreed. This woman would be of importance in his life, but she came in banging pots and pans on his heart and head.

She was so unique, so different.

Mikasa Ackerman, he thought, will be the death of me.

* * *

><p>AN- I hope you all enjoyed! Before my "ice skating dictionary" comes, I want to give a shout out to Anna cii Bunny and LifeInMyHead! They both reviewed and I am so so grateful. Without further ado: the list of terms.

Jump combinations: when one jump is executed, on the landing of the first a second jump is taken. There is no extra push or start, so right from the first jump into the second jump. (I write them like so: jump1-jump2, ex. double axel-triple toe loop)

Double, Triple, and Quadruple jumps: They increase in difficulty as the number of spins go up. For the double jump, skaters spin twice in the air as apposed to one, three for triple, and four for quads. Triple jumps are considered difficult, while quadruple jumps are exceedingly difficult.

Also note:

Even though an axel is listed as harder than a toe loop, a double or triple toe loop is harder than a single axel.

Nobody (real life) has ever landed a quadruple axel in a competition, so its near impossible.

Most men jump larger jumps then women.

Mohawk turn: where a skater is skating on one foot and places their other foot on the ground while picking up the one that was already there. This lets a skater who was originally going forward change their direction to backwards.

(if you look this up on google, I believe there is a diagram)

"Discipline" Types:

Single: Where a man or woman skate by themselves.

Pairs: A man and a woman skate together. They usually have throws, holds, and other tricks done together. Synchronization is very important.

Ice Dance: Similar to pairs, but no acrobatic moves are allowed (throws, holds, etc). They are more dancing to the music.

Synchronized Skating: where a team of boys, girls, or both skate in sync. They have programs and perform tricks unique to that discipline.

Also, while Mikasa and Eren are both junior skaters, that only applies to their singles level. The tests for each discipline are held separately, so a skater could be a senior singles skater, but only a juvenile pair skater.

Lastly, most competitive skaters only focus on one discipline, as it will help focus all of their energy into one thing. In this book I'm having them do two for a) plot purposes b) showing their genius in real life.

Once again, thank you for reading! Have a good day!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- As most of you who are reading this in order of updates know, this is the "inserted chapter". This chapter will mainly focus on the junior skaters, hopefully giving my book my depth. Once again, thank you for all of your support! Questions from reviews will be answered in the bottom! Lastly, does have Connie x Sasha pairing, but this will not be a big deal, simply a side pair. I hope that's okay with you guys!

* * *

><p>Eren titled his head towards the taller man, listening with a keen ear.<p>

"So then I had barely made it to the final round, but ended up scoring first prize!" He finished, smirking as younger girls applauded at his story. One, however, was not buying it at all.

It was his very own sister, taller and darker than the predominance of the room. She stood in the tenth grade common room, listening with mild distaste to the man.

"Hey Jean," Eren called, "ever heard of the phrase 'its more impressive to accomplish a feat and have somebody find out about it, rather than brag about it'?"

"What are you talking about?" Jean looked over, eyes narrowing.

"Jean, you may not be aware of it, but this isn't some local competition the competing team will skate in. Its the real deal."

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

Eren hesitated before breathing, "yes."

Mikasa subtly rolled her eyes at the two's behavior. Many thought that once boy matured into puberty their troglodyte ways would cease, however, that seemed to be false in this case.

On the other side of the room a garrulous Sasha and Connie sat, describing their latest journeys with great vigor. Armin stood in the corner, yielding to the chaos of the room.

Christa stood in the opposite corner, her pleasant expression rooted firmly on her face. Her facade never did falter, Mikasa noted, and she seemed to be altruistic in every aspect. She held a conversation with Marco Bodt, Ymir evidently not at her side. Because this was the tenth grade common room, the eleventh graders, such as Ymir, couldn't enter.

"Mikasa," Eren reached out towards his older sister, "come on, we're leaving." She arched an eyebrow it him, surprised by his sudden declaration, but quietly followed him out.

She walked past the group, ebony hair streaming from her shoulders as she exited, Armin scampering behind them.

"Y-your hair," a voice stuttered to her. She turned slightly, looking at a beet-red face.

To Jean, Mikasa looked like an Siren, haunting and beautiful with definite bitter after tastes. Despite his intuition telling him to stay away, he continued to gaze upon her face. Her eyes caught him in a trance, the atypical gray color looking so appealing in contrast to the lightness of her skin.

"Its s-so beautiful," Jean finished his sentence.

"Thank you," she replied, continuing to walk forward.

"Wait," Jean called, "what class are you in? I haven't seen you before."

"She's in 1S," an unamused voice rang. It was a new one; deep, monotone, and husky. "Mikasa, Erwin is looking for us."

"I didn't ask you," Jean huffed, obviously upset not to hear the answer from the woman he asked.

"I don't know if you're aware of this," Levi responded, "but Mikasa doesn't fuck around. She has to focus on skating."

Eren gaped at his idol. He was defending his sister, the very same one that had regarded him with an air of hostility.

"Come on," he glanced at her, walking back down the hallway.

"What was that about," she murmured.

"Nothing," he answered, a tinge of red on the back of his neck. He refused to admit the younger boy's antics were bothering him in a way that resembled jealousy.

Reclining on the sofa, Connie called, "well that's not rejection if I haven't heard of it," he smirked.

"Connie!" Sasha chided, "don't be rude!"

"Damnit," Jean cursed, looking up at the fluorescent lights that hung above.

The room was painted blue. Blue, the color to calm and give serenity. Blue, the color of oceans and skies, and every peaceful thing. Not the color of red, like frustration and resentment.

The room was designed in the attempt to calm the young skaters, relieving them from the intensity of the program. It was blue, as stated before, with flowing lines to ease the mind. The dark blue sofas lined across the room provided back support for the overworked bodies, and a drink machine for thirsty mouths.

"What," Connie said innocently. "I was just joking. I've been rejected plenty. Speaking of which, wanna go out with me, Sasha?"

"Shut up," she disregarded her childhood friend. They had known each other for years, a strong bond formed between the two. Their families were close, generations of close ties and interlocking fates.

Connie frowned slightly, a facial expression that went by unseen. He knew from the sound of his voice it would appear he was making a blatant joke. Honestly, he wished he could ask her for real, but knew he would get rejected immediately. He was a good couple inches shorter than her, a far cry from the tall, muscular men she always talked about. He was rascally, unlike the chivalrous ways she hopped for.

"Wait," Jean interjected, "She's in 1S? How is that even possible?"

"What do you mean," Christa asked softly.

"1S is one of the top classes," Connie said, "that's Mikasa. She's sort of just good at everything, according to Eren."

Sasha tilted her head slightly, "Hm, but she's on a junior."

"G-good at everything?" Jean asked, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. "Everything?"

"Yes," Connie replied, giving Jean a queer look. "What's up with your face, horse-head, you look like a tomato."

"What?" he yelped. "N-nothing at all," he replied. (1)

In the corner of the room, Annie stood silently, still unnoticed by her fellow peers. She was silent, absorbing all information, no matter how frivolous it may seem. She couldn't let her father down. Her short frame sunk into the wall, staring at the phone in her hand.

_We were accepted; next course of action?_

The words flashed across he screen, imprinted permanently in her text message history. It was unescapable, irreversible, unavoidable.

What had she come here for anyway? Was her loyalty really with _that_ school, or was it simply because it was the comfortable decision?

Her slim fingers lingered over the keyboard, leaving her to contemplate her carefully written response to Reiner. If the texts were read they would have to be inconspicuous and unassuming.

_Are you free after skating practice?_

She sent it, a little notice on her screen telling her the message was delivered. Sighing, she turned her phone on sleep as she became attentive to the buzz of the room.

Her eyes flicked to and fro. She held an analytical gaze towards each and every student present, not ready to loose focus any time soon.

* * *

><p>"Stay out of my business next time," Mikasa frowned to Levi. "And you," she looked at Eren, "need to make sure you don't get detention."<p>

"Yes mother," Eren sighed.

"I'm serious," she said. "This could greatly affect your career in skating."

"I know!" he protested.

"Mikasa," Armin tilted his head, "where are we going?" He was too intimidated to ask Levi directly, and highly doubted that Eren would know.

"Not sure," Mikasa said, "he decided not to tell me."

"Erwin's office," Levi smirked, "If you were listening, I did tell you."

"Hm, what for?"

"How the hell should I know," he responded. "I walked by and Erwin told me to get you. Petra was there too."

"Somebody has a stick up their butt," she replied.

"You, obviously."

"Eh, guys," Eren cut in. "What is with you two?"

"Nothing," Mikasa turned her head away from him. "He's just troublesome."

"You're more fucking annoying. Brat."

"Bastard."

"Idiot."

"Asshole."

"Will you two please be quiet?" Eren sighed.

* * *

><p>AN- First off, I want to apologize how very short this was. I knew I wanted to add a bit more in between the chapters, but ultimately came up with a writer's block.

(1) Okay, sorry if that was a bit unclear. I didn't want to outright say it, but wasn't sure if you readers got it. That aside, Jean was thinking of rather...lewd thoughts so to speak. He was wondering if Mikasa was good at _it._

Now some answers/replies to reviews::

Guest: Do you ice-skate yourself?

Emmalia (author-chan): I used to skate when I was younger. I quit once I got to the Pre-Juvenile Level when I turned about eight. My schedule became busier, so I couldn't continue. I really wish I continued though!

Porscha-Nee: Phew, i thought you'll drop it when i saw "AN"

Emmalia: Haha, need not worry. I won't drop. I literally spent ages wanting to do this, but thought nobody would read. Once the Olympics started there were requests for this type of story all over tumblr, so I decided to give it a go!

oftheathenians: shortie levi paired with queen mikasa (yuna kim tho!)

Emmalia: They do call her Queen Yuna after all!

Lastly, I know Mikasa is a bit more "talkative" than she is in the manga/anime. I would like to justify this by saying that if her tragic past didn't happen, she may not be like that. Instead of subverting her personality completely, I decided to avert it a tad bit.

I hope you all enjoyed! Hugs and kisses to al of you. You have no idea how grateful I am!


	4. Chapter 4

Petra stood silently in Erwin Smith's office. They were discussing a great number of things, but the main topic was being avoided.

Who Levi's next skating partner could be.

As his previous partner, Petra volunteered to help Erwin decide.

She had always thought she would be Levi's perennial skating partner, but her injury diminished her hopes of that. They had skated together since middle school, passing levels and winning gold.

He had grown to respect her in his own subtle, awkward way. She had watched him from afar for years before they were partnered, and was overjoyed when they were. Now she knew it was different. The feeling was weak, but definitely apparent.

Levi was watching Mikasa they way she watched Levi. It was obvious, despite their differences, the two of them together would be Queen's strongest skating pair. Levi currently held the top grades in skating, while Mikasa's followed closely behind. She was sure to become his equal sooner or later, as she had skated for two years less than he had. They were the strongest skaters apart, but put them together and they were an unstoppable duo.

Petra was saddened at the fact she was about to suggest Mikasa as Levi's partner, but at they same time she rejoiced. Levi would move onto bigger and better. He would accomplish more with Mikasa than he would with her.

She prevented herself from going into a paroxysm as she slowly suggested, "I think Mikasa would be a good partner."

Erwin raised his large eyebrows, analyzing Petra's expression with a hardened gaze. "They are a disastrous pair."

"Despite their differences their skating styles will mend perfectly together."

"So," Erwin continued, "the team work is the only struggle."

"What about their level differences? She's only a junior skater, although she could easily become a senior skater."" Petra asked, immediately wanting to take back her words. She wanted them together, and here she was bringing up a potential issue.

"Remember, there are separate skating levels for pair skating and single skating. She's currently a junior pair skater, but Levi hasn't become a senior pair skater yet. Pari skating was never his priority, so he's currently only a junior pair skater. It seems she attained that rank with her brother Eren. We'll have to ask her to take Levi as her partner instead."

"I see," Petra nodded.

"I do want to bring up the fact that she is a solid five inches taller than him. Wouldn't Annie be better because of her height?" Erwin questioned. He trusted her judgement, as she was one of his first students, but found it was necessary to bring up how unorthodox it would be for the female to be taller than the male.

"I don't think they have the same charisma together," Petra said. "I acknowledge Annie's skill, but Mikasa's is superior, therefore she'll be able to skate on more even ground with Levi."

"I see," Erwin said. "Then its final. As soon as Mikasa and Eren disband, Mikasa will skate with Levi. Bertholdt will be her reserve partner, and Annie will skate with Reiner."

"Sounds good to me," Petra said.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Are you serious?" Levi said in a dead pan voice. "You think I'm going to train with this brat?"

"He's a chibi," Mikasa dared to insult Levi's height again. "And what about Eren's career?"

"Levi, Mikasa," Eren mentally groaned. "I don't think you understand why we're doing this."

"Mikasa," Eren chided from beside her. "Come on. I'll partner up with somebody in my class. Don't worry about me."

Mikasa glared at Eren, wishing he would stop supporting Erwin's incredulous idea. She had to skate with him, to make sure he would always achieve greatness. Levi's face stayed stoic, but he was definitely in rage on the inside.

"You two, don't make me invoke my rights as a teacher on this. I'm attempting to make this so it was your choice, not a forced order."

"Well it sure is going to end up as a forced order," Levi said.

"Mikasa, Levi. You two are partners. No question."

If only Erwin had been able to see into the future. The rest of week was tedious at best, leaving him with a sizable headache and lots of paperwork.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Hey! Watch where you're grabbing!" Mikasa yelled as Levi's hands got too close to her breasts.

"Not like I was trying to."

"You're just too short."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"You're so heavy, loose some weight."

"Maybe you're too weak," she said back.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Levi, grow already! You're too short!"

"Shut the fuck up."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Your triple lutz looks horrible Ackerman."

"Not as bad as yours."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Stop skipping our practice time for your own free skate!"

"My single skating is my top priority," he responded.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Watch it Ackerman. I'm your senpai."

"Senpai my ass. Start acting like one!"

"Tch, fine. Watch your fucking language."

"Hypocrite.."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

Erwin sighed as he watched the duo perform off ice again. They were standing in the training room, practicing throw jumps so to ensure Levi didn't drop her while on the ice.

They looked amazing together, Erwin thought, but what good was it if they couldn't get along. Their artistry on the ice mended together in perfect harmony, but it was a strenuous task to get them to concur.

Mikasa was currently clipped to a harness, supporting her if she were to fall. Levi stood beside her, preparing to throw her into a jump. Their skin met each other's as he gripped her waist, arm muscles flexing as he threw her in the air. She spun around, hair whipping around her as she landed.

"That was a good round," Erwin said. "Mikasa, watch your arm. Make sure you don't hit him."

She nodded, not wanting to seem contempt towards him. Levi inwardly smirked, but aligned his body to repeat the exercise over again. The two repeated this process, a confrontational undertone in their interactions.

"Hey Erwin," Reiner called from his and Annie's harness. "Can we start to practice lifts now? The exhibition show is a week away."

"Okay," the teacher agreed.

The exhibition show, Mikasa thought. Unfortunately, Levi was one of the judges for the shows. There were no official scores or placements. Instead, the show was to determine who was on the school's competing team, and as the captain of the team Levi had a small say in it.

There were two leagues Three Queens competed in. One was the school league, which followed the format of other shows. Similar to the Olympic, schools competed in small teams for both individual glory and team victory. The winning team earned a spot IFS magazine; International Figure Skating magazine, as the best skating school.

The regular league was open to all. The competing team was simply the team that participated in the school cup, while the rest of the skaters were allowed to compete in the standard tests.

Mikasa knew she probably wouldn't get on the competing team because of Levi's malice towards her, but decided it was fine. She would simply focus on her own skating career, however much she wanted to support the school's honor.

"Ackerman," Levi huffed. "Quit zoning out. We have to finish our sets of jump throws."

She didn't respond, instead taking her place in the middle of the mat again.

"You two," Erwin interjected, "practice throws off the harness."

Levi made way to Mikasa, helping her unclip herself. His hands brushed her legs as he did so, cause her to stiffen.

"What did I say about your hands?" she asked.

He ignored her, instead proceeding to pull the harness down her legs and throw it off to the side.

"Line up, Ackerman."

She frowned at him, but took her place in front of him. He gripped her torso again, ignoring how small it was. She bent her legs, positioning to mimic a throw on ice.

He lifted his arms, releasing her into the air. The next moments went by so slow as she spun once before toppling out of balance.

"What the," Levi muttered to himself. Crap, Levi thought, its my fault. I didn't throw her high enough. Despite him acknowledging the fact it was his fault, he felt reluctant to share it with his tall partner. Weakness was never an option for one who was held in high esteem such as himself.

She lay on the floor, checking her ankles for any signs of injury. Wincing at one spot, she applied pressure to ease the pain.

"Sorry," Levi choked out. It went by unnoticed or ignored, as Mikasa made no signs of hearing it.

Mikasa thought she had heard him say something, but quickly dismissed the idea. Why would Levi be worried about her? After all, she had suffered many falls worse than these on ice.

"Here," he held out a hand to her. She gripped it slowly, wondering what his motive is. He brought her to a chair, setting her down and placing some ice on her ankle, almost tenderly.

What the fuck am I doing, Levi asked himself. True he felt bad, but he was sure the sorry was more than enough, especially coming from him. If she had in fact injured herself from that, it could had jeopardized her skating career.

Not that he cared.

"You two," Erwin called as he approached. "Nothing serious I assume."

"Yes," she replied. "Perfectly fine."

Erwin checked his watch; thirty minutes until their afternoon ice lessons ended. "Okay you two. Session's over early. I'm going to focus my work on Annie and Reiner. I want you three," he pointed to Bertholdt, Mikasa, and Levi, "to go stretch out and get something to eat."

They all nodded, attentive to their olympic-class coach. "I'm going to attempt to do pair spins on ice with you two tomorrow during ice class time, so be prepared," Erwin added.

Mikasa nodded, happy to finally get more ice time. Ever since they started to practice pair skating she had gotten less ice time. They worked off ice more often than not to make certain of her safety.

"Mikasa," Bertholdt called softly after her. He was meek. That was all Mikasa could say about him. As a stranger, she looked at his rugged muscles and sharp jaw and instantly thought of a secure man. However, as Mikasa got to know him it was quite the contrary.

"Yes," she asked.

"We should probably make a power smoothie for a snack. Would you mind making one?"

"Hm," Levi cut in. "Putting her in the kitchen just because she's a fucking woman? I'll make one. She'll dirty up the kitchen counter."

Mikasa grunted in response, quickening her pace to reach the ice rink's kitchen faster.

"When is the school's first exhibition show?" Bertholdt called after her.

"A week," Levi responded. "It'll determine who to place on the competing team."

"Oh," he mumbled. "I don't think Mikasa and I are ready…"

The Asian girl didn't respond, instead flinging the kitchen door open.

"I'm making the smoothies," Mikasa said.

"If you make them they'll taste like shit," Levi said. "Move."

"Taste doesn't matter as long as its good for us," she spoke.

Levi huffed. "Ackerman, mine will taste good and be good for you." He grabbed her wrist when she started to reach up and grab the blender. His tanner hand caught her paler wrist, locking it in place.

His skin felt warm on hers, a strange mixture of roughness and femininity. It puzzled her, how this small man's hand felt. Almost like a child clinging to his caretaker for help, while at the same time the child bossing the caretaker around.

"Senpai," she said sweetly. "I was just going to help you get it down. I saw you were vertically challenged, so I didn't want you to embarrass yourself." She ended it with a pleasant expression on her face.

He growled, slamming her back against the kitchen counter, causing her to wince. That's going to bruise, Mikasa thought.

"I thought I told you," he snarled, "not to insult my height."

"Oh, you did," she looked slightly down at him with a bored expression.

"Hey you two," Bertholdt whispered as if one of the duo were going to lash at at him.

"You're right," Mikasa sighed, pushing him off of her.

"I-I am?" Berthold asked.

Levi sighed at the insecure man's timidness. He looked up at the blender to see that he did in fact, need Mikasa to get the blender down from the shelf.

"…...Ackerman."

"Yes Captain?"

"Help me get the damn blender down."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

The following morning Mikasa Ackerman was skating side by side with Annie. The duo were critiquing each other's lines in a rather harsh way, but that was their version of perfect harmony.

It was their free skate time before school, a quiet stillness left from the dark hours of the night.

"Levi!" Petra exclaimed from the stands, "you hooked your landing again."

"Hm," Mikasa grunted. She thought about having Petra monitor their sessions to make sure Levi actually listened to her advice, but decided against it. What good was it to have a skating partner when you couldn't practice without a mentor?

"Mikasa," Annie called her. "I need to discuss my pair program with Reiner."

She skated off, not leaving a single moment for Mikasa to answer. She sighed to herself, gliding across the ice.

She felt like she was soaring, cutting through the ice with perfect precision. He hair moved around her, lapping at her shoulders she she moved.

The exhibition show was in just under a week, leaving mere days to practice. Despite Levi having a definite spot on the singles program, it did not ensure that he had one in the pair program. With only three spots in each division Mikasa knew she had slim chances of getting in.

Three spots for junior women's singles.

Three spots for junior pair skating.

She sighed, spotting Levi in the corner of her eye. It was never dull to be around him, but she often avoided his company.

"Mikasa," Levi called to her. "We should do extra practice for the exhibition."

Just for practice, Levi thought. We both want a spot on the competing team, therefore I'd spend extra time practicing with her.

She nodded, skating off again. "An extra hour after ice classes today?"

"Okay," he responded. The expression on his face was neutral, tame even.

If it was just for practice why was she excited to spend extra time with him?

Well of course its fine, she reasoned with herself. You get to spend more time on the ice. Not at all because of his irritating pressence.

It was because she would get to watch the way he moved on ice, one extra time.

It was because he would get to watch the way she moved on ice, one extra time.

No, they told themselves.

We hate each other.

Right?

Yes.

The pleasure they sought from each other was purely admiration for the other's ice skating skills.

Few would guess that behind both of their impassive facades, so many emotions swirled around in their stomachs. It was always sifted thoroughly before any feelings could escape.

Tears and laughter may be the words the heart can't say, but if neither of them are ever seen what does the heart say?

* * *

><p>AN- another chapter up! *hooray!*

I apologize if it got a bit...messy towards the end. I don't feel as though I put enough effort into it...

Now this "Ice Skating Terms" section I will insert how each of the characters dance like. (comparing real life people to how I believe they would skate).

Mikasa::Kim Yuna: (with jumping abilities like Mao Asada) fantastic, mature artistry and technique with the ability to do massive jumps (due to the speed she skates at)

Levi::Patrick Chan: a true legend both in and out of the skating world...just go watch him

Mikasa and Levi::Tatiana and Maxim: (shorter Maxim, haha) amazing chemistry, technique, and artistry. Looks like they've practiced forever with huge stunts.

(ps, Kim holds all three available records for highest score in an official performance while Patrick holds two and Tatiana and Maxim hold three)

Eren::Yuzuru Hanyu: a huge crowd pleaser who has extremely passionate programs and more potential

Armin::Jeremy Abbott: (during his novice career): extremely determined skater, although has then tendency to not always be consistent

Annie::Adelina Sotnikova: often looked over, but a real master with technique and artistry. Has the ability to do triple jumps; an amazing feat for a woman of her size

Bertholdt::Daisuke Takahashi: very good at technique, although artistry during competition is harder to accomplish for him because he caves under pressure

Reiner::Jason Brown: has the skill to connect with the crowd through his passion. His technique is amazing and he seems to have a "spark" other competitors don't have.

Krista::Gracie Gold: highly talked about due to her charisma and artistry while skating, although her technique is not as refined as others

Ymir::Mao Asada: perfect form in every way with huge jumps. her artistry is there, but the emotion is more subtle than other skaters. Not as much as a crowd pleaser as other skaters, and more inconsistent as well

Jean::Stephane Lambiel: known for his spins and often popularizes many of them. A true leader when it comes to that.

Connie::Evgeni Plushenko: ability to do amazing jumps due to high physical ability. His outfits are consistently out-there, always pushing the limits for mens competition wear

Sasha::Sahsa Cohne: strong with foot work, spirals, and spins. Her jumping is inconsistent, but she is extremely agile and flexible

Marco::Brian Joubert: an extremely strong jumper, although his performances can get slightly bland due to the consistency of his moves.

Okay, ending this authors not!

Please review! I really do appreciate ALL of them! As a write I know it makes it much more enjoyable to know other people like your work. Lastly, if you have any recommendations for different ice skaters let me know! I'm open to suggestion.


	5. Chapter 5

Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt stood in the stretching room above the skating rink. It overlooked the ice, giving the trio a perfect view of the school's ace.

Well, now currently, aces, due to Mikasa's unexpected arrival.

From above they looked like minuscule dots dancing on a piece of paper, sewing together movements with an invisible thread. Mikasa's signature scarf twirled about her as she spun, hitting a shorter Levi in the face.

Muffled arguments arose, audible to the three that hid in the shadows. It was unclear in sound, but discord was apparent in the tone.

"We didn't know a girl like that would attend this school," Reiner said. "We were certain you would get to skate with Levi for pair skating, but it seems our plans are ruined."

"Hm," Annie noted. Her head was spinning, thinking of other possibilities, however, when in enemy territory, subtleness is key.

Crystal eyes sunk farther into the darkness when a pair of charcoal eyes briefly glanced up towards them. Mikasa had felt unnerved as she glided on the ice, feeling as if she was being observed.

She dismissed the thought, circling back towards Levi to practice again. The man was dressed in usual training garb, black pants with a gray zip up.

The moved together in perfect synch, sliding backwards on the ice before going into a thrown double lutz perfectly. The base points for that were impressive, but the grade of execution was certainly plus two worthy.

Their music was steady, seemingly romantic, with a strong melody held by a violin and an accompaniment of lyre and piano. It was legato and smooth, with small crescendos and decrescendos throughout the tune.

"With their program it would be near impossible to beat them," Reiner looked down at Annie. "Even if their execution is poor, it is more technically difficult, so they have a higher chance to earn points."

"Will we have to resort violence?" Annie sighed reluctantly. "They've only been skating together for a week and yet they look like that. They shouldn't even be allowed to do any shows because of how little experience they have together."

"It would be unwise to revise our program six days before the exhibition. Anyway, we should probably just wait out until the competing team is placed. Even if we do better than that pair, I'm sure they would get a place in the top three senior pairs," Reiner said.

"I suppose," she replied.

My_ mission here is simple, _Annie thought, _take out Captain Levi, and learn their teaching methods. A fourth of the mission has been commenced and completed; taking out the former top ladies skater, Petra Ral. Although now a new variable has come in, stronger than the last. Mikasa Ackerman._

Bertholdt fidgeted nervously, unsure what to do when their course of action was simply to wait. His initiative was mediocre at best, and he couldn't risk blowing their cover.

"The skating tests are on Wednesday," Annie said. "We have to make sure Mikasa and Ymir don't advance to the senior level."

"Why?" Bertholdt asked.

"Because if they advance I can't be certain I'll place on the senior ladies single spots. Its crucial for me to be on the team; that's where the most skill is."

"Annie," Reiner told her, "I highly doubt Mikasa will choose to advance. She seems devoted to her little brother. Ymir too, she seems...unmotivated."

"Mikasa should," Annie found herself saying. She held grudging respect for her roommate, and was positive she would pass the test with ease.

"Annie!" Bertholdt exclaimed.

"Fraternizing with the enemy?"

"No," Annie shook her head. "It simply slipped out. Although, she seems motivated to me."

"Why do you say that?" Reiner questioned her.

"She has been practicing on a Sunday, our free day, as well as practicing an extra hour everyday. We're barely two weeks into school, yet I see her grades are still consistent. She's kept up in her work and skating, as well as being punctual."

"I have no defense to that."

A tense silence filled the practice room as they gazed at the duo once again. Mikasa had just smacked Levi, who once again, pushed her against a surface, probably threatening her again.

"How misleading," Reiner sighed. "Honestly, those two have such strange chemistry."

Mikasa's discontent showed clear on her face as she snarled back to whatever remark he had made. He skated away from her, beckoning her to follow as they ran through the program once again.

They started in the middle of the rink, holding an intimate starting position. Levi stood behind Mikasa, his hands on her hips while hers were intertwined with his lithe fingers. The music started, signaling for the two to start.

She made a half scratch spin, pieces of black hair whisking through the air in a marvelous display. Two hands interlocked, moving across the ices as the two skated in sync, one skating forwards, the other backwards.

Fluid movements enthralled anybody who tried to move their eyes from the performance, capturing attention of the three observing. Her palatial figure dipped into a outside edge spread eagle before moving into a death spiral.

Her back arched in a reversed 'U' just inches from the cold floor. His hand gripped her wrist as he supported her spinning movements, holding on to make sure she wouldn't become a thread snapped in half.

Their form resembled a clock hand; Mikasa's body held face-up, moving across an axis with Levi rooting her firmly in place.

Exiting the death spiral, they skating away from each other, before meeting again in the middle.

Their program continued, an entrancing dance to the music. The ice was marked with deep gouges throughout, but the execution of the program much smoother than the surface of the ice.

Their music came to a stop, their bodies along with it. Any who watched as they held their ending pose would have been deluded into thinking the two were greatly compatible.

They parted from their hold, skating to the edge of the rink.

"Mikasa," Levi said, "according to the video tape, our synchronization was off for the side by side jumps."

"Let me see," she peered at the tape recorder held in his hands. They were filming themselves to give them the opportunity to see their performance.

She moved her head to look over his shoulder, studying the screen as he played the video.

"You could try to have a better expression on your face," she snarked. "If it were a real competition we would get points deducted from artistry."

"Trying," he said. "Your expression is that fucking amazing either."

"Shut up," she growled to him.

"Watch your edge Ackerman," he barked back.

"You're a pain."

He huffed to himself, inhaling the air around him. He almost choked on his own breath as he caught the smell of his kohai.

It was feminine. So very feminine. _Well she's a girl, _he told himself. _What did you expect?_

It was appealing, smelling of currants and raspberries. It was tart, tingling his noise as he discreetly sniffed again. As it faded away it turned muskier; a scent closer to what he expected. The final smell was soap, surprisingly, radiating of her hair. (1)

"Are you okay?" Mikasa asked him as he coughed awkwardly. She slowly reached up to pat his back, but quickly made it retreat. She wasn't ready for a beat-down from him because she had "marked" his clean body.

"Yes," he said. He seemed off balance to Mikasa, tediously perched at the edge of imbalance.

She shrugged, allowing it to slip under her radar. She didn't have time to deal with his personal issues, and needed to focus on her own career, even if it was with this insufferable captain.

"That's enough for toady," Levi said, glancing at the clock. It was already eight, giving them limited time to do their homework and eat dinner before monday morning tomorrow.

"Okay," Mikasa answered, already exiting the ice. He watched her as she gathered her stuff, shoving it into a duffel bag. She grasped her bottle, a green liquid sloshing against the sides.

He stared at it, disgusted by how the dark jade drink sat in its container.

"Is there something wrong with my drink?" she caught his prolonged gaze.

"It looks disgusting."

"Not quite as bad as your face," she replied calmly, pouring the drink down her throat.

"Bitch," he murmured. "Erwin wanted me to ask you something."

"What?" she said, wiping the ice off of her skates.

"Why haven't you signed up for the trials?"

"What do you mean?" she asked. "The senior skating test?"

"No shit sherlock," her replied.

"Eren hasn't signed up."

"You really are an idiot," he said, sitting down a good three feet away from her. "You won't get anywhere if you keep hanging on to him."

She frowned, thinking about what he said. She had never felt as if she was hanging on him. It was simply her greatest desire to protect her family.

"Mikasa," he scooted an inch closer to her. "Don't be more of an idiot than you actually are. You are a senior level skater, whose playing around in the junior level. What the actual fuck," he said.

"I didn't come to hear you mouth off at me," she stood up, attempting to walk past Levi to the exit. She wished to expunge this very conversation, one that brought up so many possibilities if not for Eren. She couldn't leave him. No, net yet. He had always done so much for her, so she vowed to never leave his side.

A hand gripped her wrist, yanking her harshly towards the seat. She collided with the bench, a harsh impact sure to bruise.

"You idiot! Are you trying to injure me?"

"No, simply knock some sense into you. Plus, Erwin said he would demote me if I didn't get you to sign up. Its the last day to sign up anyway; the test is Wednesday."

She bristled, visibly rigid against him. From being yanked down she landed close to him, but hastily scooted away.

"I'll talk to Eren about it," she replied.

"Then I'll go write your name down on the damned list myself. If your brat of a brother hasn't signed up yet what the hell are you going to do? Its eight already, so he only has three hours until curfew."

"No," Mikasa sighed.

"Yes."

"No," she growled once again.

"Brat," Levi said. His tanner hand curled around her pale wrist, pulling her sharply to the bulletin board pinned outside the changing rooms.

"Sign your fucking name," he ordered her, pressing a pen into her hand.

"No," she said again. "Eren hasn't signed up!"

"I don't want to get fucking demoted," Levi replied. Taking the pen out of her hand he hastily sprawled her name across the paper. "Now you're signed up."

"Fuck you," she replied slapping him across the face.

"I could get you suspended for that," he said.

"Don't care," she answered, shocked at her own actions.

A floor above, the trio were still witnessing these events, commenting occasionally.

"Seems they have come to an agreement," Reiner remarked as the two gave curt nods. "She's signing up, although that was a violent display."

"If its just Mikasa signing up, I'm sure it will be fine," Annie said. "The only other note-worthy person I can think of is Hanji Zoe."

"True," Reiner nodded, "but we have to make sure Bertholdt and I get on. There is more competition for us."

"No excuses," Annie said, taking the alpha position Reiner previously held. "Get on the team."

"Yes ma'am," Reiner told her mockingly. "Should we review our own programs and costumes?"

"Yes," Annie replied, tugging Bertholdt along. They tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding detection from the pair of skaters below.

_Sorry Mikasa, _Annie thought, _Sorry Levi._

* * *

><p>AN- Hm, I hope you guys are okay with my characterization. I know that its a bit different from the manga/anime world, but I think its fit for this modern world.

(1)- Okay, so Mikasa's scent was actually taken from the perfume manufactured for her. Look it up, I'm serious.

Here I will be explaining how judging works.

Base Points: For each move done, there is a set amount of points, however points can be added or subtracted due to the grade of execution.

Grade of Execution (GOE): how well the move is performed

Technical Points: Given for jumps, spins, and in pair skating, lifts, throws, etc (will be explained in the next chapter!)

Artistic Points: For artistry (how they feel the music), step sequences, lines, movement

Costume Deduction: If a piece of the costume falls onto the ice, or if it is "garish" or "tacky" (a one point deduction)

For Ladies Singles the ISU (International Skating Union) records are as follows:

78.50- For the short program

150.05- For the long program (Free Skate)

228.560 Combined total

And now for the Men's records:

101.45- For the short program

196.75- For the long program

295.27- Combined total

The reason why the men's scores are higher is because of their capability to jump higher. This isn't sexist (I'm a feminist), but is due to the face that men's leg muscles are normally stronger than women's. The female ice skaters need to keep their form generally slim, so getting bulky muscles to support larger jumps is usually not the way to go.

Here is the Pair records:

84.17- For the short program

154.66- For the long program

237.71- Combined total

Now on average, the scores are as follows::

Women's short program average: 55-45

Men's: 75-65

Pair's: 65-55

I'm not going to give ones for the long program, because to me its a lot harder to tell. There are so many variables (the skaters are skating for a longer time) to it, so I decided to pass.

Lastly, I want to let you know their ages are the same as given.

Mikasa: 10th, 16, junior single skater, junior pair skater

Levi: 12th, 18, senior single skater, junior pair skater

Eren: 10th, 15, junior single skater, junior pair skater

Armin: 10th, 15, juvenile single skater, novice pair skater

Annie: 10th, 15, senior single skater, junior pair skater

Reiner: 12th, 18, senior single skater, junior pair skater

Bertholdt: 12th, 17, senior single skater, junior pair skater

Jean: 10th, 15, junior single skater, novice pair skater

Marco: 11th, 16, novice single skater, senior ice dance skater

Ymir: 12th, 17, junior single skater, senior ice dance skater

Christa: 10th, 15, nocive single skater, novice pair skater

Connie: 10th, 15, novice single skater, speed skater

Sasha: 11th, 17, novice single skater, novice pair skater

Petra: 11th, 17, senior single skater, senior pair skater

Zoe: 12th, 17, senior single skater, senior pair skater

Rest of the Scouting Legion/Senior Members (Nanaba, Erd, Gunther, etc) : senior single skaters and senior pair skaters, all in 12th grade

*EDIT*

Whoops, I published this chapter without it being completed. The stuff above is actually not important *sweat drops*.

What I was trying to say that was important is that if a skater has a partner outside of the school, its accepted. For instance, if Erwin wasn't retired in this AU world, he could be Zoe's partner and skate with her in the school tournament.


	6. Opinions Needed!

Dear Readers, Emmalia here!

First I want to open this up by saying I really really enjoy ALL of your support so far! I never imagined it would get this much attention without me posting it on any exterior sights. Anyways- this note is regarding the progression of this book. I have three routes I'm considering going down, and I really need some of my reader's opinions. So please, leave a review or pm me which of the following you would prefer.

1. Have 'Watch Your Edge' be made into two books; the first focusing on their relationship in high school, the second on their relationship afterward. This will probably the most detailed of the three choices, but also the longest. Each book will be 20-30 chapters. More problems will arise, and there will be more depth.

2. Cover the whole entire plot in one book. This will likely be 35-45 chapters long, and skip over some small details.

3. Have the book conclude by the end of the year (once Levi graduates, so the end of the current high school year). This will most likely have a slightly different ending then the two above will, due to the end being a separate time.

So there are the three choices! Once again, I really would like some opinions on this. Author-chan is currently split between these options. Lastly- would you guys be interested if a did a side book for this? Like a book of one-shots that relate slightly to the plot? Mostly just fluffy little things or otherwise. It wouldn't be crucial to read, but only a little extra. Once again, I appreciate everything you do. Even if your review is "great book!" it really encourages me! Please answer my question so we can all continue on the journey between Mikasa and Levi! ~Emmalia :)


	7. Chapter 6

_Tap tap tap._

Eren's pencil pounded relentlessly on the desk. As much as he enjoyed the senpai-taught classes, he really wished Hanji would stop lecturing ceaselessly about biology.

"And so, this is done on both microscopic and molecular levels for the unicellular organisms, such as bacteria," Hanji spoke with vigor. "Now upon these new advancements in the field, biologists were able to discover..."

"Pst, Eren," came a voice on his left. "Wake up." It was the soothing voice of his sister, sounding slightly irked. "Are you taking notes? You look half asleep. When did you go to bed last night?"

"Yes Mikasa," he sighed. "And only like, eleven!"

"Yeah, yeah, take mine," she sighed as she passed a pile of papers to him. He scanned the notes, seeing her neat, elegant writing had copied Hanji's lecture verbatim.

"Whoa, thanks sis," he beamed at her.

"Eren, is there something amusing?" Hanji asked, her bespectacled face suddenly pressed into his personal space. "Please not while I am not the teacher I do have rights which include handing out detentions."

"N-no. Nothing is funny."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Honestly," Eren cried after class. "Its like teachers only notice me when I'm causing trouble."

"Well it makes sense," Sasha chimed. "You look like a delinquent."

"I do not!" he protested. "I'm nice!"

"You do always look a tad...dour," Mikasa muttered.

"Wow, betrayed by my own sister," Eren pouted. "It's not like I try to look grumpy, unlike Levi. He looks like he's PMSing all the time...And he's not even a girl!"

"Well you never know," Mikasa replied. "He's short, whiny, and a neat-freak too."

Sasha stifled a laugh, not wanting to seem disrespectful to her senpai.

"What'd you say brat?" a baritone voice called from behind him. "Seems that the gift of immaturity runs in the Jaeger-Ackerman family."

Mikasa hissed, "Fuck off," as she glared at him, a stolid look on her face hiding her fury.

"You're not taking the free hour off," he ignored her insult. "We need to be ready for the try outs exhibition show next week."

"We're trying out for that?" she asked. "I was planning on skating with Bertholdt."

"Yeah. No. My career is more important than his."

"I thought you were more focused on your _single_ career."

"For fuck's sake," he groaned. "Shut up and follow me."

"Fuck you," she replied.

"Uh," Eren chose to chime in at the worst of times, "you two sure like to say the word 'fuck.'"

He was greeted with two identical, unamused stares.

"You guys are sorta...alike."

"No we're not!" they said in unison.

"Stop copying me," Levi demanded.

"Copying you? How delusional," she cocked her head.

"Listen up, Ackerman. I'm your superior. So shut the _fuck_ up before I sew your lips together."

"Ew," Sasha wrinkled her nose. "I mean, while I think that'd shut her up, wouldn't that be both painful and illegal..." she trailed off after receiving and irritated look from Mikasa.

"Listen up _Captain,_" Mikasa said. "I know you think you're hot shit and all, but can't you just do single skating."

"No, I already told you."

"You are the most infuriating human, no, chibi, to ever walk this planet."

Eren smirked as he watched the duo's back. Regardless of the fact that they obviously despised each other, their compatibility was undeniable. They both carried themselves with an air of confidence and grace, their expressions always inclement. He quickly straightened any amusement off of his face as he glanced at Mikasa watching him over her shoulder. Her piqued expression looked almost as if she could read his thoughts.

_I ship it,_ he sighed inwardly, knowing that thought would likely be his demise. (1)

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Mikasa glanced up as she finished lacing up her skates. The little chibi captain stood over her, a sour look on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"Could you have taken any longer to get changed?" he sniped.

"Unlike you, I have to change undergarments, put on a leotard, put on tights, a skirt, and then put on my track suit. Honestly, have some patience."

He turned away from her as he said, "Patience my ass."

She grumbled as she stepped onto the ice behind him.

The rink was still, no other sounds than Levi clicking the cassette in the player.

"Warm up for ten minutes, then we'll begin," he instructed.

She forced back a remark regarding his bossiness, allowing it to roll of her shoulder instead.

He turned away from the player, watching Mikasa perform front crossovers around the perimeter of the ice. She moved along the frozen water with stunning grace, her face unexpectedly serene. It was a far cry from her usual phlegmatic face.

Levi was often meticulous in critiquing his partners, but instead found her warm-up difficult to comment negatively on. She was a paragon example of what a legendary ice-skater should look like. She performed a series of basic footwork, stretching her muscles in an artistic fashion.

"I'm ready whenever," she said.

He grunted in response, signaling her to move into her start position. (2)

The music began, and Levi skated behind her to grasp her waist. As she spun around into a dancing hold position he twirled her under his arm.

"I barely fit under you arm," she said under her breath, continuing to skate on time.

"Fuck off," Levi said, extending his arms as she placed her hands on them. "Just keep going."

Their routine was a fairytale-esque waltz performed by orchestral strings. Among all of the short programs she and Levi had practiced, she pushed to do this one. _Because all of the others were far to intimate,_ she thought as she spun in synch with him.

Skating with Levi was always an interesting experience for Mikasa. It was dynamic and powerful, yet neither positive nor negative. Being able to skate on par with somebody was a new feeling for both, and performing to their full capability without worrying about overshadowing their partner was enjoyable.

If not for the despicable person they had to skate with.

The rest of their program went almost flawlessly, the synchronization on the step pattern the only thing they needed to focus on.

"Okay, we can break," Levi said, skating to the wall.

"Fine," she agreed.

"Ackerman, your skating trial is on Wednesday. What are you performing?" Levi asked Mikasa as they leaned against the railings on the rink. They had practiced unsupervised for at least thirty minutes without killing each other. _That has to be an improvement, _Levi thought to himself.

"Why do you care?" Mikasa answered back. "To be honest I haven't the foggiest. I need two short programs, one for the trials and one for the exhibition show on Friday. On top of that our exhibition show is next Wednesday, so only five days after that. This whole entire week is just...too busy."

"Calm down," he said. "Wednesday is your trial, with the women's singles exhibition on Friday. You have the weekend to recover while the men's singles exhibition is taking place, and the pair skating advancement trials are on Monday, with the pair exhibition following on Friday. You just need to regroup." (3)

"Why did you mention the pair advancement trials?" she asked. "Its not like we're considering trying out for that...are we?"

"We are."

"You can't just make decisions like that without asking your partner," she gritted her teeth. "What program are we going to preform then, huh?" Stress was piling up from the thought of how many performances she had in the next two weeks. On top of that she was attempting to advance to the senior singles skating level, leaving behind Eren.

"You go on ranting about what a talented skater you are. Woman up," Levi replied.

_Smack_

A sharp ping echoed through the rink, bouncing off the walls and vibrating around the empty room.

The rink was cold, bitterly frozen as tension built up. Neither parties moved, locking their stares into the other's eyes.

Their bodies were close enough to feel the heat radiating off each other's in the cool ice rink.

Her body, slim and elegant, stood firmly on the floor. Her pristine skates unmoved from her defensive position. His back was the one pressed against the wall of the rink for a change, the sharp angle cutting into his skin. His chest moved with languid motions that didn't match the quick, shallow breaths from her.

Her hand was at a harsh angle, warmth quickly fading from the spot where it had connected with his jaw. Where it had chosen to strike in the anger of the moment.

A red mark was forming on his face, his usual calm guise replaced with a gape. His cheek was unexpectedly numb, but what did he expect? She despite her small frame, she wasn't physically fragile.

His eyes flickered up to meet her hardened stare. It was spine-chillingly beautiful, the specks of black in her grey-blue eyes standing out more than usual. Her eyebrows furrowed together, aiding the look of enmity on her face to be expressed loud and clear.

Her muscles clenched slowly as she brought her hand across this the other cheek. This time, however, it was different.

When he shut his eyes to brace the harsh impact once again, instead he felt the back of her hand brushing listlessly along his jaw. He eyed her warily, not flinching against her tentative touch.

Long, pale fingers circled the tanner skin of his chin. It traced lines resembling her graceful, effortless movements on the ice. She slowly pushed upwards, closing his mouth.

"You shouldn't stand with your mouth open. You might catch flies. They always are drawn to trash anyways," she gibed

If he had heard her ironic words he gave no indication that he had. Her expression softened, watching his as she pressed lightly into his cheek. Her touch turned from a lifeless caress to one with subtle intimacy.

His face was rigid, unyielding stone beneath her softer skin. His eyes analyzed her, greatly confused by her actions.

"Sorry for slapping you," she murmured, skating a little step away.

As she exited his personal space, all of the warmth left him. Her stepping away left him cold and numb on the edge of the arctic-like rink.

* * *

><p>AN- Okay, wow! New chapter up after HIATUS /whoo!

Sorry that it's a bit short. I wanted to open the next chapter with what comes after this (no duh), but didn't have anything to add in between. Gomen-ne!

(1) - Sorry, I just had to make him an in-verse shipper.

(2) - The program they're skating to is Maxim and Tatiana's SP 2013-2014 Masquerade Waltz. YouTube it! It's flawless

(3) - Sorry the schedule is so difficult. Below I have it written out:

Monday - CURRENT DAY

Tuesday - Normal Classes and Lessons

Wednesday - Ladies' Singles Trials / Junior to Senior Advancement (previous trials last week)

Thursday - Men's Singles Trials / Junior to Senior Advancement (previous trials last week)

Friday - Ladies' Singles Exhibition / Placement for Competing Team (all levels)

Saturday - Men's Singles Exhibition / Placement for Competing Team (all levels)

Monday - Pair's Trials / Junior to Senior Advancement (previous trials last week)

Tuesday to Thursday - Pair's Trials / Advancement Trials for All Other Levels (all levels)

Friday - Pair's Exhibition / Placement for Competing Team (all levels)

Please review with critique please! Any advice with how to improve my writing will help me make this story better.

Happy reading,

Emmalia


	8. Chapter 7

Levi's jaw went slack.

Just who the _fuck _did she think she was.

She _slapped_ him.

"What. The. Fuck." he gritted briskly, those words being the only ones he could think of.

"I apologized," she muttered, back to her petulant, childish attitude.

"You could be suspended or even expelled! What if somebody had witnessed what just happened?"

"Okay, okay, sorry shortie."

"Ackerman," he warned. "I hope you understand the position you're in."

"Levi," she replied, "feel free to slap me. I'm sure I can handle your tiny hands."

Levi held in a scream.

"You are possibly the most fucking annoying brat I've ever worked with."

"Boohoo, grow up," she replied.

He reached out to her, gripping her wrist hard. Taking his other hand he brought it across the side of her face, leaving a blaring red mark on her porcelain skin.

She seemed impervious to large amount of force that had just struck her cheek. Instead, her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at him with a belligerent look. It was harder than she expected, but not too much for her to handle.

Her emotions switched between shock, disbelief, anger, and understanding.

"You look ridiculous," Levi observed.

"Thank you for that detailed assessment," she rolled her eyes. "I guess I deserved that though," she muttered angrily, lightly caressing her jaw. "Although I didn't really think you'd slap me. Anyways, you don't hit nearly as hard as Eren."

"Don't compare me to that brat!"

"I already did," she cocked her head.

"Take it back."

"You act like such a child," she laughed.

"Fine. Tch, you and your bratty brother." He smirked to her, almost amicably.

Almost.

Unfortunately, the short moment of cooperation was interrupted as the door to the rink banged open. In strolled Reiner, rather nonchalantly, holding his skates in one hand and his bag in the other.

"Hey guys," he voice rang in the rink. "Came early for practice?"

"Yep," Mikasa answered, skating to the door before stepping off. "How much time until practice starts?"

"About ten," Reiner answered. "I saw your name on the sign up for senior trials. What made you sign up?"

"The chibi," she pointed in Levi's direction.

"Heh," Reiner laughed at her nickname. "To be honest I thought you were already a senior skater."

"Yeah, well my brother is still a junior skater. I sort of wanted to stick with him."

"Interesting," he replied, pulling out his phone. "Well good luck to you."

"Thanks," she said.

Reinder glanced at his lap, typing away at the little keys.

_I have information._

Not two seconds later did his phone buzz as Annie responded.

_We'll meet at E3 tonight._

Reiner tucked his phone away as Erwin walked in. He did not need the coach demanding to see his phone, an annoying habit most teachers had when their students were on their phones during a class.

"Okay," Erwin called out, "who's missing?"

"Annie and Petra," Levi said.

"Okay, we'll start without them. But first, Mikasa, can I talk to you?"

"Of course," she replied, walking over to him.

"What program are you doing for your trials?" he asked.

"El Tango de Roxanne," she said. "I'm honestly not prepared, so I chose my short program from last season." (1)

"I see," he replied. "Just do your best and I'm sure you'll pass. What about your exhibition?"

"Probably my exhibition from last season too," she replied, trying not to sound like she wasn't overwhelmed.

"Hey," Erwin said. "Calm down. You'll do fine," he said.

"Thank you," she smiled, a rare facial expression for her to make.

"Let's get on the ice and I'll help you out."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Annie lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She and Mikasa had just walked back from skating practice, but Mikasa was already hustling about preparing dinner for both of them. Reiner's new piece of information hardly intrigued her. It was hardly note worthy. Instead, something more superficial caught her attention.

Mikasa's face, usually the quintessence of god-like beauty, had a large, attention grabbing mark on it.

A mark that matched the one which had just appeared on Levi's face as well.

When Annie had asked her about it Mikasa simply shrugged, answering in a way that was a far cry from the meticulous response Annie had hoped for.

It was feasible that the marks on their faces were from a collision that happened prior to the group practice when Mikasa and Levi were practicing.

However, Annie preferred to think they were the result of their averse attitudes finally lashing out.

The door opened again, and in came Mikasa with a tray of food in her hand. She sat on the floor in front of Annie's bed, passing a tepid cup of soup to her. Next came a plate of dumplings and a hefty side of cut veggies, followed by a small piece of mochi.

"Thanks," Annie said to Mikasa as she swung her legs over her bed to get into a sitting position.

"Yeah," Mikasa said, glancing up from her food. "I have a question."

Annie paused, casually lowering herself down to the floor with Mikasa. "I'll answer it depending on what it is."

"Who was that skater you were watching the other day? When I came into the room before rushing out again."

"Oh," Anne responded. "Just a skater I admire."

Mikasa nodded slowly before asking, "Can I watch him skate?"

"I guess," Annie said, reaching for her laptop at the end of her bed. She opened it, browsing through folders before she found the clip.

"Here," she passed the computer to Mikasa.

"Thank you," Mikasa replied. She hit the play button.

The camera was shaky, the cameraperson obviously not a professional.

A rink was onscreen, the lighting less than stellar and the focus of the camera unstable. The crowd was large though, and Mikasa could only assume that the show was quite well-known.

A man with brown hair skated of the ice, bowing as he did so.

"Up next is Jackson Pollock," the announcer said.

"Mommy!" a little girl's voice came from behind the camera, "I think Daddy is coming!"

"Yes dear," a deeper female voice came. "Just be patient and hold the camera steady."

"Yes mom!"

Applause erupted as a male skater slid into the camera view. He was a tall man in the relative perspective, with a shock of blonde hair standing out against black roots. He stood perpendicular to the camera, his profile the only part of his face that was visible.

Then the laptop screen was shut.

"Nevermind, I don't want you watching it," Annie gritted her teeth. She had forgotten about the intro before the performance. She mentally cursed herself. She was always warning Bertholdt and Reiner to the extent of trepidation, yet her she was making careless mistakes.

"What, what's wrong?" Mikasa asked as the warmth of the laptop was lifted away from her.

"Nothing," Annie replied. "Thank you for dinner. I'm going to bed soon."

Mikasa stared after Annie's small back retreating. She watched as Annie opened the door and left their room. She watched as Annie did not go to bed. _Where was she going? _she asked herself.

She sighed, unknowing of what had affected Annie so strongly. Padding over to the small window, she set her cup of soup on her night stand.

The night was dark, not a single star in the sky. It was not poetic or symbolic of anything. It was not what the cliche movies always portrayed. Having the moon stand alone was not a sign of quiet strength or resilience. The moon without stars did not mean anything. There was no lesser light to compare the moon to. The moon only looked weary and tired, bearing the weight of the darkness all by herself.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Fucking hell Mikasa, why didn't you tell me?" Eren chattered as they sat at the lunch table the following morning. "I'm so proud of you!" He threw his arms around her, squeezing her tightly and rubbing his nose into her hair.

"Eren," Mikasa replied. "Calm down."

"Senior trials! You'll finally advance to where you belong! Imagine it," Eren thrust out a hand and swiped the space in front of him. "You and me. Winning the Olympics in two years."

"First you have to advance to senior level too," Mikasa mused.

"Of course! But I can do it!"

"Pipe down," an annoyed grumble came from beside Mikasa.

There Levi stood, in his 5'3 glory, looking like fucking Adonis. (2)

Mikasa froze, choking on her carrot. She did not just think that. The boy was four inches shorter than her, no way he was remotely attractive.

No, he was. She mentally face palmed. His jawline was crisp, his hair neat, his style sophisticated, and his eyes attractive in the most arrogant, bastard-like way possible.

"What," Levi raised a single eyebrow. He placed his plate down next to hers and sat.

"N-nothing," she grumbled. _I was not thinking about that, _she told herself, _just because the chibi has some nice qualities does not make him attractive. Bertholdt is attractive, Jean is attractive, hell, even Coach Erwin is more attractive. Then again Coach is pretty young and..._ her thoughts trailed off aimlessly.

Eren observed from across the table, unsure of what exactly was going on. Either way, Mikasa had stuttered, Levi was staring at Mikasa as if she were Aphrodite, and they were sitting at the same table. Correction, they were sitting at the same table by _choice._ Eren might as well document this as if it were the sighting of a rare, exotic flock of birds.

"Hey Levi," Eren waved at the skater he extolled, attempting to make conversation. Or at least make sense of Mikasa and Levi's relationship. "How's skating going with my sister?"

"Ask her," he replied, biting down on his sandwich. "She's hardly cooperative."

"Its fine," Mikasa said. "The pipsqueak is hardly bearable."

"Tch," Levi rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk."

"Okay," Eren glanced down at his food, his words unsure as their conversation confused him either further. Were they friends? Were they against each other? Or is this just strangely aggressive attraction? Either way, Eren desperately hoped they would confirm their feelings so he didn't go crazy trying to understand their relationship.

"Ackerman," Levi adressed Mikasa, jarring Eren from his thoughs. "What the fuck are you eating? It's like vomit and anorexia in food form." (3)

"What are you talking about?" Mikasa asked. She motioned to the green protein smoothie and veggie tray in front of her, "this is perfectly healthy."

"Sure, and I'm 6'4," Levi grunted. "Here."

Eren gaped as Levi tore of a piece of his turkey sandwich and threw it onto her plate. It landed, the contents disheveled but still appetizing. She cautiously picked it up, turning to face him slowly.

"How do I know you're not poisoning me?" Mikasa asked warily.

Levi sighed. "Honestly, brat, your trials are tomorrow and we have advancement tests coming up. Give me some credit as your partner."

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes, biting into the sandwich bit. "If anything you should be drinking some of this," she shook her concoction. The green liquid splashed against the sides of the plastic container, making both Levi and Eren grimace.

"I highly doubt that's edible."

* * *

><p>(1) - So this is the program Yuna skated when she was 16 and a junior skater. I thought it seemed fitting.<p>

(2) - Adonis is a Greek deity, the god of beauty and desire. So, Mikasa is now sexually attracted to Levi \o/

(3) - I really hope I didn't offend anybody by saying this. Levi's humor is usually blunt and rude like that. If it was out of line feel free to pm me. I'm simply trying to keep him in character, and a phrase like that was what came to mind.

Also, I hope you guys are aware of who the Moon and Star are, Mikasa and Eren. I gave a little bit of foreshadowing on why they were nicknamed that, but it'll come later. Also, what do you guys think of Brotp MikaAne? Or is it...I don't even know their ship name, but Mikasa x Annie.

I hope you all enjoyed. Please review! Reviews really are the impetus for authors. It makes writing ten times more enjoyable. (aka, if you review the next chapter will likely be out sooner! Also, anybody have any suggestions for other character's code names?

~Emmalia

P.S.- sorry if this has more typos/ mistakes than usual. I'm super tired, yet I'm still posting this because I really want to get this out. And I have a test tomorrow...which I should study for...okay...I'm procrastinating just a bit...


	9. Chapter 8

Just to let you know, in-verse it's Wednesday. Also, more focus on their pair skating once their singles trial/exhibitions are done. \o\

* * *

><p>It wasn't Levi's fault.<p>

Most certainly not.

He shouldn't have to take the blame for her petulance and child-like behavior, yet her he was being punished by her angry glares.

"Will you stop criticizing me?" she moaned. "Honestly, I'm not doing anything wrong!"

"Yes you are," he rolled his eyes. "Look at the footage. Your crossovers aren't fully extended through, and your hand isn't in position."

"And you," she retorted, "are being a prick."

"Ooh, I'm so hurt," he mocked. "Seriously though, your trials are tonight."

"I know, I know Captain Pipsqueak."

"Hey!" he cried indignantly.

"Sorry, sorry," she smirked.

He rolled his eyes, but continued to give her corrections. "As I was saying, aside from those minor flaws, just make sure you don't scrape any of your axels. That'd be bad."

"Okay," she breathed. "Once more then I'm resting until the trials take place."

"Skipping school?" Levi raised an eyebrow.

"No, exempt from school. We do go to a highly professional skating school, dumbass."

"Tch."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

It was 2:30, and Mikasa was nowhere to be seen.

_That shitty Ackerman brat, _Levi growled to him self. _Warm-up for trials start in forty-five minutes she's fucking absent. _

He tapped his toes impatiently, leaning against the wall outside of the women's locker room in Rink Thirty-four where they took lessons.

"Sorry," Mikasa slowly padded up to him. He had been so irritated he hadn't heard the door to the rink creak open. "My alarm didn't go off for some reason."

"You were sleeping in the middle of the day?" Levi asked. "God, you lazy ass."

"It's not like this is your trial," she grumbled. "Why do you care so much anyways?"

"B-because-" he stumbled to find words.

"Yeah, whatever," she interrupted, embarrassed for asking him and further flustered that he couldn't just say he didn't care. "I'm going to change. Wait outside."

"No shit sherlock," he rolled his eyes.

She ignored his quip as she walked into the locker room. It was a small room, built to only accommodate five people at a time. She walked across the ebony floor to the opposite side of the room where her closet was. She took her simple black dress off it's hanger and threw it onto the bench perpendicular to her black-curtained closet. Petra and Annie's skating clothing hung in the two units to the right of hers, ending right before the stacked lockers which held the skates. She quickly changed, putting on tan tights and her skating dress.

"You done yet?" Levi called impatiently.

"I still have thirty-five minutes, calm down!" she said through the wall. She laced up her ivory skates before clodding back outside of the dressing the room.

"What the hell are you wearing?" he asked as soon as he saw her. To be honest, she looked absolutely stunning in her outfit, but that wasn't the problem. The issue was that she didn't look like she gave a shit about her presentation. Her long-sleeved dress had a plunged neckline that scooped below her sternum, and the skirt of it fell down to her mid-thigh. While her tights and clothes were okay, the rest of her appearance was not.

"Did you even try?" Levi raised an eyebrow. "While you look clean-" Mikasa rolled her eyes, "-the judges also are looking for something more pulled together. The senior advancement is much harder to pass than the other tests."

"Fine, what do you suppose I do?"

"I'll help you," he said reluctantly. "Is there anybody else in the dressing room?"

"No."

"Okay, in we go."

"What!? No!"

"I'm not undressing you or anything! I'm just doing your hair and make-up!" (1)

"First off, that's embarrassing, secondly, it would look super weird if somebody walked in, and lastly, just no."

"Shut up," he pushed past her. "If you don't get your sorry fucking ass in here I'm not helping."

"Bastard," she trooped in after him.

"Sit," Levi curtly motioned her to sit and the vanity. "Which drawer is yours?"

"Top right," she answered.

Pulling it open, he observed all of the little containers, trying to remember which ones were which from his days when he did his sister's make up. He grabbed what he hopped was her lip product caddy, putting it out on the vanity.

"Only four lip colors?" he asked. "My little sister has over twenty."

"Most figure skaters do," she rested her head on her hand. "I personally don't think I need a color to match each outfit."

"Tch, how careless," Levi said. "Here, put this on," he handed her a dark red color. "You're doing the tango, so I guess this works."

"I thought you knew what you were doing!"

"I do!"

"Then what do you mean 'I guess this works'" she questioned.

"God," he said, "not my fault you have such a fucking tiny collection."

She glared at him through the mirror, but he paid her no attention. He was used to her hostile looks.

"Put on these," he placed eyeliner and bronzer down on the table, "while I do your hair."

"Pft-" she giggled. "You're doing my hair."

"Shut the fuck up," he pulled on one of her dark strands.

"Ow, you little piece of shit," she said when she felt the sharp pain on her scalp.

Ignoring her, he grabbing her hair clips, twisiting the silken locks around themselves, weaving them into a simple pattern that pulled her hair out of her face.

"You should grow out your hair," Levi said."It would be better for figure skating. You can't put your hair in a bun with hair this long."

"So?"

"You are so very annoying, brat. Are you done with make-up yet?"

"Almost," she said. Her hands shook as she drew slightly squiggly lines around her eyes. "I don't have much practice."

"Evidently."

"Shut up chibi," she growled, staring at him through the mirror. "I''m done."

She stood up and faced him, brushing the one loose piece of hair out of her face.

"Wow," Levi heard his voice slip out.

"Wow what?" her face morphed into a challenging grimace.

"Nothing," Levi said as he face-palmed mentally. _You fucking idiot. Of course she's pretty. She's always been pretty, she just has on make-up. Stop standing there like a hormonal-ass teenage fucking boy._

She watched amusedly as Levi mumbled to himself under his breath. Feeling eyes observing him, he looked up to meet her make-up enhanced grey eyes looking at his face.

She grunted, her version of a giggle, and tucked the loose piece of hair behind her ears. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I said that already." Levi was doomed. He placed his hand on the back of his neck, the temperature obviously raised exponentially. There she was, her hair pulled away from her face, showing off her strong jawline, and her lips painted bright red, drawing attention to anybody who dared to look. _Stop staring Levi. Stop staring._

"Do you need to go to the nurse?" she asked, almost concerned. "You look like you're dying."

"I'm not dying god damnit! I'm just...surprised."

"Surprised?" she asked.

_Why is she interrogating me. Help me somebody... Nope. Man up and say it._

"It's just...you look pretty."

"What?"

"I said, you look pretty."

"Oh, um, thanks." She looked away, her ivory skin now flushed with a color that nearly matched her lipstick.

"Sorry," Levi said as he spun away from her. "I guess its time to go warm up."

"Yeah."

Their walk to Rink 1 was silent, their footsteps tentatively treading along next to each other.

_"It's just...you look pretty," _played over and over again in Mikasa's head. His down tilted head, darkened gray eyes, and smoked voice drove her crazy. Her legs quivered slightly, glancing down at his cut profile.

"Don't let what I said distract you," Levi glanced at Mikasa from the corner of his eyes.

"I'm not," she adjusted her scarf over her lips. "Don't flatter yourself."

"Good."

They arrived in front of Rink 1. It was by far the most opulent rink, a stadium sized audience seating with a high sealing and multiple changing rooms. The air was colder than in their practice rink, adding to Mikasa's jittering nerves.

"Okay, go sign in. I'll be up there," he pointed to the stands.

"Yes Dad," she rolled her eyes.

He frowned, not enjoying being likened to her father.

"Bye," he huffed, turning and walking to the bleachers. He knew the audience would be extremely serious, so he didn't have to worry about his aggressive resting face.

"Levi," a voice said just as he sat down. He looked up and saw the silvery strands of Annie Leonhardt.

"Do you know somebody who's taking the test?"

"Mikasa. Duh."

Levi looked taken aback before regaining his composure. He hadn't know that they where close enough for Annie to come out and support Mikasa.

"We're roommates," Annie clarified.

"Ah, I see," he replied before sitting in silence.

He waited for a few minutes before the three judges shuffled into their box seats. Of the three, he instantly disliked the man with the platinum blonde hair. He looked pretentious and cynical, a combination of traits which ensured overly hard judging. Levi almost felt as if he knew him. Perhaps he was a former skater back in his glory days?

The sign-up sheet for the test had been small, three other names on it besides Mikasa's.

He waited patiently for Mikasa to be called, feeling bored as the three lack-luster skaters pranced about on the ice.

"Mikasa Ackerman," the platinum-haired judge called.

She skated onto the ice, forming a proper tea stop as she waited for her music to begin.

And when it did, that was when Levi experienced utter euphoria.

The melody played and she snapped her arms into a sharp angled position, moving across the ice so gracefully yet sharply. Her tango routine looked as if she had prepared for years, when in reality she had only prepped for a week.

The opening move was a triple lutz, and his gray eyes freely appreciated the height and distance of her jump. Her front crossovers were beautifully extended and her triple axel landed without a wobble.

She was doing it perfectly.

Levi watched her, enraptured by her routine. It had a good dose of sass to it, an unexpected trait coming from the monotonous Mikasa.

As she held her ending pose, the audience almost erupted.

Until they remembered they were watching a test, forcing their instincts to to applaud down and keeping a professional air.

She skated into the safe distance, waited patiently for feedback.

The judges glanced at each other, commenting secretively to each other.

"We need you to redo the triple axel-quad toe combination," the blonde haired man informed her.

Levi raised an eyebrow. Unless her was blind, this man was just trying to get her to fall so he could fail her. He chose the hardest element of her test for her to reskate, a task that must of made her nervousness rise quickly.

If she was indeed, as nervous as Levi thought she was, she didn't show it. She skated around the rink twice before prepping.

Then she was up in the air. Once. Twice.

Then a sharp noise of a blade across ice ringed in his ears as she scraped her quad-toe landing.

She recovered though, and held her spiral with precision.

"Thank you," the little brunette judge chirped. "You are dismissed."

Levi hopped out of his seat an hustled to Mikasa.

"Good job," he said.

"Yeah," she looked away, clearly distraught. "Did I mess up on the combo during my program or something?"

"No," Levi responded. "They were just being pricks."

"Sounds like something I would say," she smiled. He comforted her in the strangest way. Here was the man who infuriated her, standing by her side and helping her put her arm in her fleece zip-up.

She sat down, unlacing her skates and tugging them off.

"And now," Levi said, sitting beside her. "The waiting game begins."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

As soon as Levi was out of sight, Annie took off down to the box.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, ignoring the looks from the judges.

"Annie," the platinum haired man said. "That isn't any way to greet me."

"Goodbye Jackson," the brunette judge said as she and the other judge left the box. "Don't forgot to turn your papers into Erwin so he can distribute them."

"Have a good day Nina," he smiled courteously.

"What are you doing here?" Annie repeated once they left.

"Just wanted to check in on my Annie."

* * *

><p>AN- I'm probably the worst at writing reveals/non-obvious foreshadowing...Sorry D:

I want to thank you all a million times over. Today this fanfic reached 100 alerts O.O I never ever dreamed this would happen, and am so grateful it has. I wasn't planning to release this chapter yet, but I finished it up really quickly because I was so excited.

(1)- I just.. have this headcanon Levi is really good at hair and make-up. I'm sorry. Also, expect to hear about Levi's sister in the future, hehe.

Hope you all enjoyed! Please review if there is anything I can do to improve my writing.


	10. Chapter 9

A/N- Also took out some small details in the last chapter (moon + star). Because I took such a long break I honestly forgot what that was about.. *sweatdrop fail* Also THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME I LOVE YOU ALL VERY VERY MUCH!

One more little note: if there are any horrendous mistakes I apologize. I am unbearably excited to finally release a new chapter, and didn't really proof read. If anybody wants to be a beta/editor pm me? Off to die under a pile of homework.. D:

* * *

><p>"Wake-up," a semi-annoyed voice spoke near her ear.<p>

"What?" Mikasa blinked rapidly, attempting to get rid of any sleepiness left in her eyes.

"My shoulder hurts," Levi replied. "You fell asleep while waiting for the results."

Mikasa abruptly sat up, realizing she was, in fact, leaning on her asshole of a captain's shoulder.

"Ow," Levi gasped as her head knocked the side of his chin. "Calm yourself."

"Sorry." Mikasa tightened her maroon scarf around her neck. "Where are the results?"

"Here," he shoved a few papers under her nose. "You passed, although one stupid asshole thought you shouldn't."

"Really?" she raised her eyebrow. As she scanned the paper she saw tha one of the judge's comments were overwhelming negative, ending with statement that declined her advancement. Luckily for her, the other two judges had given her praises.

"Ha, this judge is funny," Levi smirked, "he says 'Your triple axel-quad toe is far above your level, a move only the most talented of skaters should try'. He clearly doesn't know how well you skate."

"Thanks," she smiled lightly at his comments, feeling happy and carefree.

But just a few meters away stood Annie, feeling definitely unhappy and tense.

"Don't call me, 'my Annie'," she spat to the platinum man.

"Isn't it right though? I'm such an important part of your life."

"Hardly," she replied. "Just because you shagged my mom doesn't mean shit."

"Hey now," his gaze darkened, his eyes dark unlike her blue ones. "Remember why you're here. Okay, my Annie?"

"Fuck you."

"No, watch your mouth my Annie. I've told you it's not attractive countless times."

"I don't give a single _shit,_" emphasized her foul language, "about being attractive.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

When Levi woke up the next morning, his shoulder still hurt. And he did not hesitate to share.

"Mikasa I'm positive you fucking hurt my shoulder."

"Boo hoo," Mikasa deadpanned. "Concentrate, our advancement trials are on Monday. We're only a few days away."

"Ugh, turn on the music then," he said, skating away from her to take his place.

As the violins started, he spun effortlessly before skating behind her to hold her shoulders. She responded, swaying to the movements in perfect synchronization.

As she twirled, barely fitting under his arm, he caught a whiff of her perfume.

And once again, his thoughts completely stilled. It was a different scent from before, this time a brisk mixture of lemons and grapefruit, borderline smelling like cleaning supplies. However, the smell was saved by soft middle notes of vanilla and a muted musk.

Unfortunately for both of them, his slight delay in action caused her skate to lock into his as she attempted to preform their next element. The metal clanked against each other and Levi found himself face down on the cold ice.

"God dammit," Mikasa groaned, her legs trapped under his. "Just when I thought we we're starting to get along you go and be idiotic again."

"Everybody makes mistakes," he huffed, pushing her legs off his to extract himself from the surface of the ice. "Just concentrate, our trials our tomorrow." He nearly rolled his eyes at himself, his hypocrisy making him both amused and guilty.

"Oi," Reiner called, causing both of their heads to snap over. Neither had realized his quiet entrance, an impressive feat for a man as large and heavy as he was. "Why're you both face down on the ice?"

"We're getting up now," she scoffed.

"Well practice starts now. How long have you two been here? I thought six in the morning was an early start, but here you two are."

"We both came thirty minutes early to practice," Levi replied. "Where's Erwin?"

"Coach Erwin," his voice called, carrying an almost strident tone as he barged through the doors. "Sorry I'm late, but you will address me as Coach Erwin."

"Yeah, sure," Levi said, his delinquent attitude flaring up.

Practice passed rather uneventfully, although the tension in the air was evident. It was almost as if a string was being pulled taut, and all of them were waiting for it to snap, or for somebody to reach out with a pair of scissors and sever it themselves.

Although Mikasa was sure the majority of this apprehension stemmed from the trials approaching, she couldn't help but feel unnerved each time Annie's eyes swept of her actions.

As class concluded, Levi called Mikasa over. "We have an hour and a half until classes. I'll make breakfast in the rink's kitchen and then we can run our routine one more time?"

"Are you attempting to bribe me with food?" she asked, slightly amused. "If you make me my green smoothie, then yes."

"Hell no," he scoffed at her fastidious nature. "I'm making eggs, sausage, and fruit. You know, normal food for skaters to eat. Not your green vomit shit."

"Fuck off," she rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just make me both?"

"Fine, how do you want your eggs?"

"Sunny-side up."

"Unlike your personality," he teased.

She felt slight anger flare to the surface, but instead smirked back at him. "Shut up asshole, I'll help you in the kitchen."

"Seriously?" Levi asked in shock, moving to walk towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, what's so surprising?"

"Nothing, nothing," he muttered, pushing the doors to the kitchen open. He opened the fridge, grabbing the eggs, sausage, and various fruits and vegetables, throwing them onto the counter.

Mikasa watched, leaning against the table and _definitely _not admiring him. Not at all appreciating how his body began with broad shoulders and narrowed down to thin, muscular hips. Or when he tried to reach the top shelf, his shirt raised up, exposing dimples on his back.

"Mikasa...Mikasa," his call jarred her out of her thoughts. "A little help," he scowled.

"Ha, still can't reach the blender, chibi?" she asked, approaching him. Her head easily saw over his, and she moved her body closer, barely touching his as she reached over his head to grab it.

Levi stood rigid, hyper aware of the slight brush of fabric, her scent, and the slender fingers accidentally running over his. He chewed his lip nervously, feeling himself become ridiculously embarrassed by this situation.

And apparently, Mikasa realized too, clearing her throat with a guttural noise and hastily stepping away to avoid worsening her gaffe.

"Here," she shoved it at him.

"Thanks."

They continued in silence, the sizzling of the pan the only noise breaking the silence.

It left Levi internally groaning. How could their relationship be so incomprehensible? Half of the time he wanted to murder Mikasa, and the other half all he wanted to do was watch her skate hour upon hour. He needed some conclusion before he slowly drove himself crazy attempting to make sense of their love-hate dynamics.

"You're burning the sausage," her montone voice called from where she was sitting at the table. "I thought Captain Levi was good at everything, especially simple tasks."

"Shut the fuck up brat," he rolled his eyes, throwing a steaming, slightly charred sausage onto her plate.

"I don't want it," she said. "I'll eat the egg and smoothie."

"Picky," he countered, sliding it onto his plate. "Sorry princess."

"Don't call me that."

"I'm sorry, are you my senior?"

"In skating, yes," she joked back, earning her a rough kick to the side of her chair.

"Watch your edge brat," he said as he sat next to her, haphazardly placing the egg on her plate. "And your gourmet fucking vomit," he placed the glass of kale, carrots, and fruit mixed up.

"Thanks," she bit at him before settling into a comfortable silence.

It was almost a hospitable feeling for Mikasa as she grew accustomed to seeing Levi's scowling face next to her. He gave his shoulder occasional rolls, signaling his muscle was still tense from her head's weight.

"Did you do any exercise before you came to my trials?" she inquired, feeling slightly guilty about his back.

"Skated a bit with you, remember?"

"Oh," she nodded. "And how did you sleep on it?"

"On my back."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Unless you want to become my personal masseuse, nothing fucking much," he joked.

"Okay," she said, chugging the last of her smoothie to stand behind him.

"I was joking," Levi said quickly, slight bewildered as her pale hands touched his shirt, pushing in slow circles that not only relived the tension in his shoulder, but also pain from his overworked muscles.

He was constantly amazed at her duality. On one hand, she was aware and mature, always sensing social cues and handling herself with grace. Yet, he noted that she was occasionally naive and innocent. And this was one of those times. She seemed altruistic under her facade of hating him, offering a back massage in response to Levi's joke. It genuinely pleased Levi, but he couldn't help but feeling uncomfortable at the unexpected development. She had been increasingly touchy with him, something not unusual for pair skaters to be with their partners, but to him it was a miraculous event.

He admitted he was often abrasive, his words spitting from his mouth before he could stop them. It was natural her coldness and his brashness would collide unfavorably, but it seemed to him that they were overcoming their exterior personalities.

He would be lying if he said he didn't hate her. But he would also be lying if he said he didn't like her.

He craned his neck to let Mikasa reach for a particularly tough knot as the door swung open.

"Getting along?" Erwin raised a single eyebrows. "What a pleasant sight."

"Hardly," Levi replied with noticeably less feeling behind his words.

"I left my duffel somewhere in here," Erwin explained his sudden arrival. "Class starts in an hour, so don't be late."

"Yes sir," Mikasa nodded. She felt her face match the color of her scarf, which was to her, an unknown reason.

As the door closed Mikasa silently left Levi's back to wash the pans in the sink.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Guess who's back," Annie said as she glowered silently, sitting in Bertholdt's and Reiner's room.

"Who?" they asked in unison, wondering who was able to successfully turn Annie's permanent slight frown into a scowl.

"Jackson and his stupid 'my Annie'" she huffed, shifting on Reiner's bed again. After seeing Mikasa stay with Levi after class, Annie assumed it would be easy to slip into Bert and Reiner's dorm without questioning from Mikasa.

"Huh," Reiner rubbed his jaw, readjusting himself on the foot of the bed Annie lounged on. "Why?"

"How the hell would I know?" she sent him a pointed look. "But he failed Mikasa on her advancement test, which screams far too obvious too me."

"He's an expert," Reiner countered. "He's run so many people out of this industry, he knows what to do."

Annie rolled her eyes. She was positive his "expertise" did not become infallibility. "Well now Mikasa thinks of him as the crazy platinum judge who failed her. Shouldn't he be trying to keep a lower cover?"

"Calm yourself," he persisted. "I think you're overreacting because it's your father."

"Don't call him my father!" she snapped. "I will wring you by your fucking neck."

"Annie," Bertholdt whispered from the bed across the room.

She blinked once. Twice. Slowly gulping until her usual callous nature returned.

"Forget it," she spoke carefully. "We'll just let Jackson run amuck."

"Well," Reiner said. "We can't tell the boss what to do."

* * *

><p>AN - YAY! I hope you all enjoyed! Sorry for such the long wait and THANK YOU AGAIN for sticking with me.

Just wondering ~ what do you think of their relationship dynamics? I am purposely making them super unstable and confusing, but is it working? Also, what do you think of Levi falling for her first? That's what I'm planning on but I'm not one hundred percent sure I'm going to do that, so if anybody feels strongly let me know!

~ emmalia-chan


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